THE Princess Royal called in to help a Swindon company that has raised thousands of pounds for charity celebrate its 20th anniversary.

She unveiled a commemorative plaque at Excalibur Communications during the visit yesterday when she met staff and dignitaries including South Swindon MP Robert Buckland, Mayor of Swindon Maureen Penny and police and crime commissioner Angus Macpherson, as well as representatives from local charities Jessie May, BIOS and the Younite Foundation.

Executive chairman of the firm, James Phipps, said it was honoured to have the visit.

“At Excalibur we are extremely proud of the work we do within the community, and indeed the working environment we provide," he said.

“But we are particularly proud that such a strong culture of giving and community involvement runs throughout the team. There is a genuine desire to support the communities in which we work that goes beyond corporate social responsibility.”

The company started life as a mobile phone trading shop and grew to 20 outlets under the Mobile Phone Centre franchise. In 2000, it rebranded itself as Excalibur and moved away from mobile retailing, entering the business to business marketplace and adding IT services.

Now based in Century Road, Excalibur employs 60 people and operates a portfolio of more than 4,000 clients nationwide. Earlier this year it reached 55 in the Sunday Times top 100 Employers.

Over the past three years staff have raised thousands for more than 200 good causes in the area.

In 2015, they raised £50,000 for Bath RUH Forever Friends Appeal, helping to fund the teenage cancer ward.

The company also runs a voluntary salary sacrifice scheme where employees vote quarterly on who to donate money to, with the company match funding those donations. In June, £4,000 was donated to child leukaemia charity CALM.

Younite, started last year by James, aims to help disadvantaged children and young people in the area improve their motivation and skills.

It offers projects that provide the experience of a lifetime and gives funding to schemes and charities that help and support the most vulnerable.

Last year students and staff from New College went to Kenya on an outreach mission to build classrooms.