Damian Green's visit to HR GO head office
Damian Green, First Secretary of State and Ashford MP, has visited the headquarters of national recruitment firm HR GO to celebrate its 60th anniversary.
Mr Green, accompanied by Jo James, chief executive of Kent Invicta Chamber of Commerce, spoke to directors and staff at Wellington House, Church Road, and The Cedars, Elwick Road, both in Ashford.
The Cedars is head office of RHL, an HR GO Group joint venture set up 40 years ago and which has been in Ashford for the past 20 years.
HR GO, founded in Dartford in 1957, has expanded nationally and now has an office in Poland. The business is marking the anniversary with a 60 Acts of Kindness Campaign.
Staff in Ashford and more than 40 locations across Kent and the UK, are raising money for good causes by tackling a wide range of activities.
They include sky-diving, sponsored runs, walks and bike rides, and many hours of volunteering.
Mr Green visited HR GO shortly after the business reached its target of 60 Acts of Kindness, raising over £47,000 for good causes across the UK.
The firm intends to keep going with the aim of raising £50,000 by Christmas.
Mr Green told staff: “Sixty Acts of Kindness is a brilliant idea in this special year. You all want to work for a company that does things like that because it means you are part of the community. Well done.”
He added: “It’s good to celebrate long-lasting Ashford companies that are expanding. Having started in Kent and now expanded around the rest of the country and into Europe shows the excellent level of service provided for 60 years. It’s a huge achievement.
“It’s great that unemployment is so low but it means that recruitment is more important than ever to make sure the right people get into the right jobs.”
Jack Parkinson, company chairman and son of the late founder Betty Parkinson, said he was delighted to welcome Mr Green and Ms James and explain what had been achieved over the past 60 years.
But the anniversary year was as much about looking forward as back. “We were able to tell Mr Green about the recruitment industry, the many opportunities that are opening up, and some of the challenges it faces.
“We are well placed to meet the recruitment needs of clients and candidates in permanent, specialist and temporary roles.“
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