Bath-based Second Mountain Communications has marked reaching its first birthday by becoming a Gold Member of the Business against Poverty movement - and pledging the funds to sink a Borewell in India.
The boutique consultancy, which was established during the first national lockdown and launched in August 2020, specialises in helping purpose-driven companies and ethically-focused businesses with meaningful content, PR and marketing services.
Since its launch 12 months ago, Second Mountain Comms has built up a focused portfolio of ten clients, including The Charlie Waller Trust, one of the UK’s leading mental health charities, Organic India, a leader in organic and sustainable teas, and Wiltshire-based eco-friendly florist Young Blooms.
The business commits 20% of its available time pro-bono to local charities. Company founder Ben Veal, an experienced PR and marketing professional and former journalist, has now been appointed as a Charity Trustee for both People against Poverty and Wiltshire Youth for Christ.
To mark its first successful year in business, Second Mountain Comms has become a Gold Member of Business against Poverty, a committed community of business leaders who look to address issues of poverty globally and take action. As part of this, the consultancy has pledged funds to enable People against Poverty to sink a Borewell in India, helping to support villages in need of access to clean water.
Val Huxley, CEO of People against Poverty, comments:
“The Covid pandemic has impacted so many of the communities that our India project deals with and addressing the clean water situation is crucial: many of these communities have suffered with starvation, being unable to afford the increasing cost of food and having to drink stagnant water over the past year.
“Access to clean water in India has been our primary focus for 2021 and, with Ben’s donation, we now project we will be able to dig five Borewells this year: this is amazing for the communities who will benefit, as everyone will be able to access clean water to drink on a regular basis. Our thanks go out to businesses like Ben's who make this investment in a movement for change.”
Ben Veal, Founder of Second Mountain Comms, adds:
“It’s quite astonishing that a year has passed by already since Second Mountain Comms launched last summer; the time has flown by so fast. I’m truly grateful to every client, contact and trusted friend that has supported the business to take the right first steps forward and to lay a strong foundation for the years ahead.
“The world is changing, and the pandemic has made us all take stock of the role we can play in aiding both our local communities and the wider world around us. I feel privileged to be able to share some of Second Mountain Comms’ early success with a community needing support in India, especially at such a pivotal and challenging time."
This first milestone follows on from the business being shortlisted as a finalist for a number of awards in 2021: Second Mountain Comms is a finalist for both the upcoming Bath Life Awards (‘New Business’) and Creative Bath Awards (‘Creativity for Good’ and ‘Startup’) and also was a finalist for the ’New Start-Up of the Year’ category in the South West Business & Community Awards earlier this year. Ben has also been shortlisted for ‘Independent PR Practitioner of the Year’ at the CIPR PRide Awards for the South of England & Channel Islands.
People against Poverty is an international charity, based in Wiltshire, that aims to alleviate suffering and build new hope for families both in the UK and communities worldwide from Romania and Nepal. Through their involvement and investment, Business against Poverty members directly support the humanitarian efforts of the charity, changing lives together and delivering energy and resource to empower greater self-sufficiency and create a more sustainable future.
Image (L-R): Val Huxley, CEO and Co-Founder, People against Poverty; Ben Veal, Founder and Director, Second Mountain Comms; Bill Huxley, Trustee and Founder, Business against Poverty
