IT was an absolute pleasure to be part of Procter and Gamble’s fourth annual charity awards.

It’s lovely to see a locally based firm, with international pedigree, not forgetting about the people who matter locally.

In fact this company goes a quite a big step further than that.

This night proved it. Bosses gave away no less than £32,000 to local good causes.

The biggest beneficiaries were well-deserved - Thurrock Princes Trust and The Karis May Darling foundation. Both received £10,000 to allow them to continue great work within the communities.

The Karis May Darling foundation burns bright and is a wonderful legacy to a beloved little girl who was sadly taken from her parents after contracting meningitis.

After she passed away her organs were donated (as was her wish) and she saved no fewer than five lives. And now the work the foundation is doing around the borough is enhancing and helping many more.

Emotions certainly run high on the evening. There were tears and some incredibly poignant stories from the P&G employees, 11 of whom received £1,000 to donate to a chosen charity. What a good idea this is, making sure staff are part of something special.

The firm deserves huge credit for the way it treats its employees. And there were plenty there singing its praises on the night. It’s good to know there’s such a successful worldwide business operating in the borough which clearly hasn’t forgotten about the people that matter, staff and those making a real difference in local community.