The trust, which aims to improve literacy rates in S&G’s home town of Merthyr Tydfil and the surrounding area, was the brainchild of Vanessa Jones, the company’s head of corporate development and wife of managing director Andrew Jones.

At last week’s launch event, Vanessa Jones said that literacy rates in Merthyr Tydfil are among the lowest in the UK and that a third of adults have no formal qualifications.

"Our goal with the trust is to change lives and break out into the local community and offer real help," said Vanessa Jones.

The trust offers internships, bursaries, mentoring projects and organises volunteer schemes, all with the goal of improving literacy and instilling a passion for learning among local children.

S&G had already been working with local charities for a number of years, including local children's charity Engine House, where it has already helped recruit more than 40 reading volunteers to support local schools and projects and Jones said that she had the ambitious target of 100 volunteers.

Through S&G’s support the charity has also organised book donations that have led to the creation of three community reading groups and three community libraries.

As well as the Engine House, the trust also supports cancer charities Tenovus, Clic Sargent and Cancer Aid.

The charitable trust was launched with a substantial donation by S&G and members of staff have each been challenged with raising £100.

As well trust’s official launch, Andrew Jones, managing director of the Wales-based sheetfed magazine printer, used last Friday’s event to thank customers, suppliers and most importantly staff for their loyal support over the firm’s first 100 years.

"In our long history we have of course had heartache along the way and I must thank everyone for their support through some extremely dark times," said Jones.

However, he used the event to highlight how the fourth-generation family firm, which was founded in 1912, had turned around and became one of the largest commercial printers in Wales, with 2011 being a record year in terms of sales and profits. To supports its continued growth strategy, the company signed for a raft of kit at Drupa, which included the installation of the UK’s first Heidelberg Speedmaster XL 106.

Jones also highlighted how the company has become one of the pillars of the local community, with 155 members of staff living within a five-mile radius of the company.  He singled out the 63 employers who have topped a decade of service at the 220-staff company, including 29 that have each racked up over 20 years' of service.

For more information on the trust, visit: www.sg100charitabletrust.org.uk