Following a major consultation exercise with our team, ECT Charity has developed a fresh vision and mission, and a new set of values, to guide our work as a charity and social enterprise.
As an organisation committed to inclusion and accessibility for all, we have always been driven by a clear and strong social purpose – ever since we started providing accessible transport services in Ealing 35 years ago.
Since then, both our reach and range of services have widened in scope, but our charitable purpose has remained steadfast. In addition to our work in west London, we now operate services in Dorset, Cheshire and Cornwall. We have also become known as a leader in providing accessible transport services for major events, such as the London 2012 Olympic & Paralympic Games and the 2015 Rugby World Cup. We are committed to increasing our social impact as well as measuring the social value we bring, with a focus on individuals who are lonely and isolated, and the positive impact that community transport can make.
As we have matured as an organisation, our values have developed. So, last year, we decided to explore what really matters to us through a series of interviews with our staff, volunteers and trustees.
Speaking to members of our team about things that mattered to them about ECT Charity was a truly inspiring experience. From the insights we gathered, we forged a new vision, mission and set of values. These reflect what drives us to make a positive difference; they represent what we stand for and how we approach our work – from our drivers to senior management and the board of trustees.
One of our drivers summed up the motivation that energises us all at ECT Charity: “What we do is life-changing for some people. For us, it’s not about the biggest, most noticeable thing we have done. The reason we are doing all this is because it benefits the people we serve. It’s the difference we make to a particular person’s life.”
Our CEO Anna Whitty reflects: “Going the extra mile is second nature to us, we will always bend over backwards to help, and this is true for everyone within the organisation. It was important for us to honour this by developing our organisational values, to show that they are an integral part of who we are. We are all very proud of what we have achieved so far and we will ensure our values will continue to lead the way.”
Our new vision, mission and values can be found here, and you can read more about it all in our publication “What Matters to Us” here.
