The Electrical Industries Charity (EIC) relies on the dedication of volunteers who give their time to support our work. This month, we shine a light on Darren Misiak, Business Development Manager at Brook and Mayo and vice chair of the East Midlands Committee, whose passion for raising awareness is making a real impact.
How it Started
In 2022, Darren was exploring ways to launch his own charity for the industry when he came across the EIC. With nearly four decades in the electrical sector, he was surprised he hadn’t heard of us before.
“I’ve been in the industry 40 years nearly and I had never heard of the charity, when I looked into it further, I was amazed at what you do and wanted to get involved. So I made the phone call.”
Noticing the absence of a regional committee in the East Midlands, Darren quickly rallied like-minded contacts and organised the first local fundraising event.
He was motivated by the clear value EIC could offer to businesses in the area.
“The services you offer were services I could see us at Brook and Mayo calling on you for, and that if we needed to, there was somewhere to go. I could see the benefit for our lads and ladies that work for us, along with other businesses in the area,” says Darren.
Raising Money and Awareness
Darren’s goal with EIC is simple; raise awareness, raise money.
“It’s literally just that, isn’t it? For us to raise more money and put more events on, we need to have more people aware of the charity in the region and hopefully the right people that want to support it as well. It shouldn’t just be take, take, take – you’ve got to give as well”, he says.
Since 2022, the East Midlands Committee has hosted numerous events. Darren remains especially proud of their first.
“The first event was pretty stand out because we did it ourselves, and we stepped into the unknown. It was a dinner. I think they had 150 people attend, a couple of comedians, some raffles. It was straightforward, but everybody loved it.”
For Darren, keeping momentum and generating awareness is a hugely important aspect of the work he and the committee are doing for the EIC.
“I think that the main goal for us is now that the word’s out that we’re here, we’re doing things. We’ve got 2 events in the calendar already – the February Dinner and the Summer Golf Day. We’ve only been doing them two years, but they’re already in people’s minds in their calendars. I think people are looking forward to them, but I think again, the awareness is paramount.”
A First-Hand Connection
Darren’s dedication stems from seeing EIC’s impact first-hand.
“A few of our lads have had to call the charity in the past and they’ve really helped, which I do like to hear. We’ve got a couple of stories here where the guys have phoned up and got the help they needed, or their families got the help they needed. I relay that back to other contractors that if your guys are struggling for whatever reason, or your immediate family’s struggling, the charity’s there.”
He also stresses that EIC’s services are free for anyone in the industry.
“The first question [contractors] ask generally is, ‘how much does that cost a year?’ I say it doesn’t cost you anything. You don’t have to subscribe or anything. If one of your guys has an issue and calls up, it won’t cost them anything.”
Make a Difference
Darren is eager to continue putting on events for the EIC. He says the most rewarding part of what he does is knowing that the money raised will help someone out down the line.
Hid advice to anyone thinking of getting involved?
“The more ambassadors we get, the better. It takes very little time, doesn’t cost you anything, but just do some work to promote the charity because we need it. There is a big, big lack of awareness in this area. So the more volunteers we can get, the better.”
If you’d like to learn more about how you can get involved—whether as a volunteer, supporter, or committee member—click here to find out more about the ways you can make a difference.
