Award-winning charity scales up with Microsoft server software“Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2® is absolutely essential for us. We couldn’t run the business without it.”
Monica Kimche, Director, Leicestershire Cares Leicestershire Cares matches the talents and skills of companies (and their employees) with the needs of local communities. Monica Kimche, who recently won the prestigious Marks and Spencer Sieff Award for the East Midlands, has overseen the growth of the charity from two employees in 2004 to eleven today. This forced a complete reappraisal of its IT needs. In a perfect example of Leicestershire Cares’ work, they turned to a local Microsoft Small Business Specialist, iQubed Limited, who generously donated their time to equip the charity with the latest technology: Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2003 R2 (SBS 2003 R2). They needed a solution that was cost-effective, reliable and able to grow with the organisation. As a charity, they benefited from the Microsoft Giving Programme which provided ten free licences for Microsoft Windows through the Charity Technology Trust. The charity moved offices in 2005, shortly after Kimche joined the organisation. The local paper had provided an office, computer and desks but they had outgrown the billet. Suddenly, they needed their own IT infrastructure. SBS 2003 R2 provided the backbone: an email post office with spam filtering, a shared internet connection with security firewall, a shared printer and the ability to support remote access for email. One of the biggest challenges facing the growing charity was the need to share files. It is vital for employees to have access to up-to-date files relating to their clients and projects. It ensures that everyone is working in the most efficient way. It also makes everyone more productive. “All the records are on the system,” says Kimche. “It’s made putting together the annual report and finding the appropriate photos and the appropriate documents much easier.” The nature of their work and funding means it is absolutely vital to keep very careful statistics. “We measure everything that breathes,” Kimche explains. They keep this data in Microsoft Office Excel® files on the server and the ability to share them helps to keep the files current and consistent. In a similar way, SBS 2003 R2 enables Leicestershire Cares’ staff to share their diaries. This feature is “invaluable”, says Kimche. For example, when it comes to organising placement meetings, the administrator can immediately see when everyone is free and instantly book up a meeting that suits all the attendees. Leicestershire Cares is an effective organisation. For example, one of their projects involves work with ex-offenders. It places them for two-week mentored stints in one of 12 local companies. This gives them valuable experience and a current reference. 60 per cent go on to get a job. A charity that is doing such progressive work can’t afford IT systems that hold them back. SBS 2003 R2 keeps Leicestershire Cares moving forward.
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