Telent’s Procurement team has delivered free digital transformation support to Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens Trust, helping the charity improve security, resilience and accessibility.
The project forms part of Telent’s Sustainable Procurement commitment to providing over 110 hours per year of free procurement-led support to small businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSEs), focused on building capability, supporting growth and improving long-term resilience in the areas we operate, including organisations that protect and enhance local environments and green spaces.
Responding to a Real Need
Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens is a nationally significant heritage site and valued community green space, supporting biodiversity while providing events, education, volunteering opportunities and wellbeing benefits for local people. With over 21,000 users each year and a team of around 50 staff and volunteers, the Trust plays an important role in protecting and maintaining this historic landscape for the community.
Operating with limited resources and a reliance on volunteers, its digital systems were fragmented, with reliance on personal email accounts creating risks around security, access and the potential loss of important information.
Having recognised the need to improve in line with funder, sponsor and banking expectations, the Trust sought support through Match My Project, where Telent commits time to the Solihull community as part of its ongoing commitment to Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council.
Improving Security, Resilience and Capability
Telent’s Procurement team stepped in to design and deliver a phased programme of support, tailored to the needs of both staff and volunteers. This included benchmarking suitable solutions, before securing 100 grant-funded Microsoft licences for the Trust through the M365 for Nonprofits Programme, creating capacity for future growth and delivering potential annual savings of up to £5,500.
The team then managed the set-up of a secure tenancy and migration of personal email accounts, along with individual and shared bookings calendars, into a single, centralised environment. Professional email addresses were established using the Trust’s domain, enabling staff and volunteers to communicate consistently and credibly.
This upgrade not only enhances the organisation’s professionalism but also reduces reliance on personal accounts, supporting improved security and data integrity. This was supported by the implementation of structured back-ups and shared workspaces, ensuring information is protected, accessible and no longer dependent on individuals.
Alongside the technical changes, a strong focus has been placed on upskilling staff and volunteers through briefings, training and hands-on support to build confidence and ensure the new systems are embedded effectively. This approach is already improving collaboration, reducing cyber risk, and strengthening organisational resilience.
The enhanced functionality provided through Microsoft 365 also creates opportunities for future efficiencies and cost savings as the Trust continues to adopt and optimise its use, with full completion scheduled for April 2026.
Delivering Real Social Value
Telent’s expert support has generated an estimated £2,500 in measurable social value. More importantly, it enables the Trust to focus its limited resources on delivering services to the community and maintaining an important local green space, with confidence that its systems are secure, accessible and fit for the future. The improvements also provide a scalable digital foundation, supporting future growth, more efficient ways of working, and reduced administrative burden over time.
The Trust knew improvements were needed but didn’t have the capacity or specialist expertise to deliver them. By providing this support free of charge, and focusing on upskilling as well as implementation, we’ve been able to improve resilience, reduce risk and create meaningful social value.
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We certainly couldn’t have done this on our own. Telent helped us understand the options available and put the right solution in place, which is secure and accessible. We really appreciate the patience and persistence of the support; despite external factors at our end delaying and altering things, Telent staff have supported us all along the way and given us the knowledge and confidence to manage it day to day.
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Sustainable Procurement in Action
Telent combines its procurement expertise with broader technical and business capabilities to deliver practical, lasting impact. This support strengthens community organisations while applying our core skills to deliver real-world outcomes. It is underpinned by Telent’s managed IT and cyber security capabilities, enabling organisations to adopt secure, resilient and scalable digital solutions.