Lockheed Martin, a global defence and security company has been stepping up to support local communities across the globe. The corporation is committed to making a difference to its customer’s missions and to the lives of those across its local communities. For a company that is passionate about stepping in to help those in need through volunteering, fundraising and outreach activities, it comes as no surprise to see all the great work Lockheed Martin and its employees are doing to help out during the COVID-19 pandemic.
There are lots of great examples across the country of how individuals, communities, businesses and even children are taking a positive step to help those who need it most. We are living through unprecedented times, but the one thing we do know is that we all have a part to play in this, and we all need to come together to strengthen the impact of our support – the key is “we” and not me. If we think and act collaboratively, then together we can do better – together we can do more. If there’s one thing that this outbreak has brought out it’s the best in British people – our society has come together to shield and protect one another.
From school children making masks for frontline workers, businesses re shaping their operations to manufacture much needed PPE and medical supplies, to fundraising and donation contributions of all scale and sizes – and it would not be right to go through the list of some of the outstanding achievements without mentioning our national hero Captain Tom Moore (a local Bedfordshire resident!) who has so far raised an incredible £32 million for NHS charities.
Lockheed Martin, one of the largest employers in Bedfordshire didn't just stand by and watch the good work being done across the country, they too responded to the national call and signed up to The Big Print; a nationwide campaign to 3D print face masks for frontline workers. The response to the campaign has been phenomenal and it’s all testament to companies like Lockheed Martin that have rose to the challenge.
In a true Lockheed Martin fashion, the team at Ampthill acted with agility and wasted no time in turning its engineering excellence from designing, building and integrating turrets, to producing the much-needed parts for protective masks using its in-house 3D printing capability.
And that’s not all, the team at Ampthill has also recently partnered with Central Bedfordshire Council to donate PPE (sanitised hand wipes and disposable gloves) to key workers at local care homes in the Bedfordshire area – each and every contribution is making a difference – it’s helping to save lives and it’s helping to protect our national asset – our NHS.
People of Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is a huge advocate of volunteering and giving back to the community, and many of its employees are bought into its ethos too – the organisation has hundreds and thousands of employees across the globe who volunteer their time and efforts in their local communities.
Closer to home here in Bedfordshire, Daniel (Dan) (Graduate Engineer), or otherwise known as “Policeman Dan” amongst colleagues at Lockheed Martin, regularly volunteers as a Special Constable for Hertfordshire Constabulary.
Dan said: “I’ve always enjoyed volunteering for the Police as it’s such a rewarding experience. With my Off-Fridays at Lockheed Martin, Easter bank holidays and my employers paid leave for public services, I’ve been able to dedicate quite a lot of my time to the Police at a time when they need it the most.
“This pandemic has changed the nature of my [Police] work in a lot of ways – I’ve spent a lot more time on foot patrol in the local area to make sure people are sticking to social distancing rules and only leaving their homes for essential work and tasks, and I’ve also attended to vulnerable people in the local community. I’ve faced some of the biggest challenges during this pandemic whilst volunteering but knowing that I am making a difference to people in so many ways makes it so worth it and incredibly rewarding.”
We all have a part to play in this. We can make a difference by coming together and joining forces. Unity is what strengthens, and unity has never been more important.
