On a lazy Saturday morning in early February, Mark Jones was flicking through the Herald Sun when he stumbled upon a collection of strange, colourful creatures. Intrigued, he read further to discover they were all in support of The Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH) Foundation as part of Me and UooUoo: The RCH150 Anniversary Art Trail. He immediately felt compelled to support the initiative on behalf of the family owned business Jones Engineering, having always assisted local and international philanthropic ventures where possible. Within the hour, he made the decision to sponsor and purchase one UooUoo in particular, which had a depth of meaning for the Jones Engineering group.
In recent years, the business has committed to employing new apprentices annually to work within the trades groups with 10 apprentices currently ongoing their industry experience including two women.
For Jones Engineering, the opportunity to support RCH Foundation was simple, with the business choosing to sponsor and purchase “Vombatus Uoo” by artist Nathan Ferlazzo for Me and UooUoo: The RCH150 Anniversary Art Trail. Jones Engineering Managing Director, Mark Jones briefly met the artist at a fundraising event in Melbourne’s CBD some time ago and discovered that they share an affinity for animal rights initiatives.
“The sculpture is a long-standing reminder to practise gratitude. The wildlife and nature inspiration behind Nathan’s sculpture design authentically aligns with the philanthropic values we aim to uphold at Jones Engineering,” said Managing Director, Mark Jones.
“I hope that there are people out there who choose to help those in need such as the RCH because they can, not because of how it will positively impact them. If every individual in Victoria contributed to this fundraiser in some aspect, it would make a world of difference to our communities.”
The three Jones brothers and sister were raised with the notion of helping others in whatever capacity they can, with their parents and business founders often assisting charitable initiatives personally and professionally to support those in need. With these values in mind, the Jones’s not only strive for industry success but maintain integrity and humility in all facets of their business too.
The team proudly showcase their adoption certificate for “Vombatus Uoo” in their foyer and have already circulated photographs of their newest team member throughout their newsletter. Despite all this, Mark Jones is humble in his approach, stating that the commitment by Jones Engineering is not for any recognition but rather “to know that we have made someone happy”.
To find out more about Jones Engineering’s sponsored UooUoo, visit https://uoouoo.org.au/artist-wia/nathan-ferlazzo/