CDL launches virtual charity Hackathon
Call for tech talent

30th March 2021

CDL has rolled out a nationwide search for the UK's best tech talent to take part in its virtual Hackathon, which will see multi-disciplinary teams put their skills to the test as they compete to design an innovative mobile app for local homelessness charity, The Wellspring.

The Hackathon is CDL's latest initiative to support the vital work of The Wellspring during the coronavirus pandemic as the charity continues to work around the clock to provide food, clothing and housing to those in need in Stockport.

Hosted in partnership with software training company, Code Nation, the Hackathon will take place via Microsoft Teams and will feature keynote presentations from sponsoring organisations throughout the day. Here, participants will be tasked with devising an app that will benefit The Wellspring and its service users in an area of their choice, ranging from mental health support to resource allocation. Entrants are not expected to deliver a finished product, but will be assessed on the creativity of their approach, consideration of the customer journey and the potential of the concept created.

Awards will be presented remotely a week after the event, where members of the winning team will each receive £100 in Amazon vouchers. Prizes are also up for grabs for second place, as well as an individual award for the person recognised as the competition's ‘Rising Star'.

Frank Robinson, Director of HR at CDL, commented: "Supporting the local community is intrinsic to what we stand for at CDL, as is nurturing and showcasing the skills of talented developers. Combining the two, the Hackathon presents a brilliant opportunity to work collaboratively to produce exciting new concepts, while making a real difference to the lives of those who use The Wellspring's services. We wish all the entrants the very best of luck!"

Alex Knight, Operations Manager at The Wellspring, said: "The pandemic has been a challenging time for everyone and our team has worked hard throughout to support our users. Over the last twelve months, we have seen a significant increase in demand for our services, which, combined with a drop in donations and the suspension of face-to-face visits due to lockdown, has made it more difficult for people to access the help they need. We believe technology can help us to overcome some of these barriers and look forward to seeing what the teams come up with."

The Wellspring has been CDL's chosen charity for the past two years and the firm has raised nearly £4,000 through remote fundraising activities during Covid-19. Past events have included a virtual 10k and online company-wide pub quizzes, with plans in place to roll-out more initiatives in addition to the Hackathon this year.