A building company has launched a charity and community committee to raise money and hold events to aid organisations throughout the areas in which it works.

Rok, which owns Westhoughton building firm Durose and Gourlay, will be looking for good causes in the areas around its North-west offices, which include Bolton, Salford, Liverpool, Preston, Macclesfield, and Chester.

As well as adopting two charities for 2007, the committee is looking at a wide range of community organisations to see what assistance Rok can give.

While Rok site staff already undertake charitable work around its sites, often with the help of sub-contractors, the new committee helps to focus that activity on deserving causes and brings the office-based team members more closely into the activities. The chosen charities for 2007 are Derian House children's hospice in Chorley and the Roy Castle Lung Cancer Foundation.

A host of events and activities, including swear boxes, fines for unattended mobile phones, dress down days, golf days and sports activities are being planned.

Becky Stokes, committee chairman, said: "Rok prides itself in being the nation's local builder and by working with organisations in the areas where we have a presence, we can become a bigger part of that community.

"We have local people working in each area in which we operate in the North-west, so we will be able to see what is really important to those communities and put our efforts to good use."