Festive donations from Performance Doorset Solutions

PDS donated over £1,000 worth of toys to Rochdale Council’s Giving Back Toy Appeal, over £400 worth of food to Rochdale Food Bank and raised £2,500 for Springhill Hospice

Littleborough-based fire door manufacturer Performance Doorset Solutions has donated thousands to local charities this Christmas.

PDS donated over £1,000 worth of toys to Rochdale Council’s Giving Back Toy Appeal, over £400 worth of food to Rochdale Food Bank and raised £2,500 for Springhill Hospice, PDS’s chosen charity partner.

Managing director Tim Fairley said: “Proud just doesn't do this justice. PDS is a brilliant company and we are so happy we have been so involved in this year’s toy appeal. We also donated and delivered to Rochdale Foodbank, a great effort by everyone. During these current crazy and testing times, it has blow me away how people have come together to support this.”

Throughout 2020, the company also sold off-cuts of wood to raise money for Springhill Hospice, which PDS fundraises for all year round.

Mr Fairley added: “This, along with getting involved with Springhill Hospice’s Wear Your Woollies To Work Day, we were pleased to present a cheque to Springhill for £2,500 in December, on top of our usual annual fundraising for this fabulous place.”

Mr Fairley co-founded PDS in 2003 and grew the company to a turnover of £13.5m and a workforce to 148 when it was acquired by US-based door manufacturer Masonite International Corporation.

However, by 2018 turnover had fallen to around £7m and the workforce to 60 when Masonite announced it was considering closing the Littleborough facility altogether.

In a bid to prevent it closing Mr Fairley formed part of a consortium that bought the business back and set about reviving its fortunes.