Pictured left to right: Emma Butler (MND Association), Aleesha Parsons, Emma Richardson and Anwen Rees (all Ballards group Charity Committee).
Worcester based Ballards, together with sister companies Four Squared Recruitment, Cubed Tax and CreativeFolks, has raised £10,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association (MND Association), the group’s chosen charity for 2025/26.
The partnership was personal from the start. The MND Association was chosen in honour of Bal Siyan, a valued member of Ballards’ Digital Transformation Team and a dear friend to many across the group, who was diagnosed with motor neurone disease and very sadly passed away towards the end of 2025. For the team, raising money wasn’t just a fundraising target, it was a way to stand alongside Bal and do something meaningful in his memory.
Alongside the MND Association, the group also raised just over £4,000 for the Matt Gallagher Foundation. a charity that provided direct support to Bal and his family during his illness. Unlike larger research-led organisations, the Matt Gallagher Foundation focuses on making an immediate, practical difference to people living with MND today, whether that’s funding mobility equipment, arranging home adaptations, or helping families create lasting memories together. For the team, supporting them felt like a natural and personal extension of everything this fundraising year stood for.
James Syree, CEO of Ballards, said: “Choosing the MND Association as our charity of the year was personal to all of us. Bal was a valued colleague and a friend, and we wanted to do something that truly honoured his memory. Raising £10,000 is something the whole group – Ballards, Four Squared Recruitment, Cubed Tax and CreativeFolks -can be proud of, and we hope it makes a real difference to the people the MND Association supports every day.”
Motor neurone disease is a progressive condition that affects the nerves controlling movement, gradually impacting a person’s ability to walk, speak, eat and breathe. The MND Association works to improve access to care, fund vital research, and provide support to those living with or affected by MND across the UK.
Over the course of the year, the team threw themselves into a wide range of events and challenges. Two employees completed a gruelling 250-mile cycle ride from Land’s End to Glastonbury. More than 35 colleagues took on a 40.87km charity walk across Worcestershire in the middle of a heatwave. The wider team also came together for a Sip & Paint evening, book sales, bake sales, marathons, long-distance runs, and a Christmas raffle, with fantastic prizes generously donated by suppliers and business partners.
The Ballards group Charity Committee said: “This year has been one we will never forget. What started as a way to honour a colleague became something that brought our whole group together. Thank you to everyone who walked, cycled, baked, bid, and gave so generously, you made every penny of this possible.”
Emma Butler, Relationship Fundraiser for the MND Association, said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone at Ballards for raising such an outstanding £10,000 in support of the MND Association. Your dedication and generosity will make a real difference to people living with motor neurone disease and their families, helping to fund vital support services, groundbreaking research, and giving hope for a future free from MND. Thank you for being part of our community and for standing with us to make every day count.”
The fundraising year was brought to a close with a cheque presentation at Ballards’ Worcester office. Pictured left to right: Emma Butler (MND Association), Aleesha Parsons, Emma Richardson and Anwen Rees (all Ballards group Charity Committee).
For more information about the MND Association and the work they do, visit mndassociation.org For more information about the Matt Gallagher Foundation, visit mattgallagherfoundation.org