Welsh businesses urged to volunteer on Give & Gain Day

Welsh employers are being urged to make a difference to local communities by giving their staff the opportunity to volunteer during 2012. Responsible business charity, Business in the Community issued the call as it launched Give & Gain Day 2012 – the UK’s only national day of employee volunteering.  Give & Gain encourages thousands of volunteers across the country to spend a working day volunteering for good causes in their local community.  This year Give & Gain Day will take place on Friday 18 May.

 I cannot thank UPM and Kingspan enough for their support. This project could not have been achieved by us ourselves – they really have granted us our every wish! It really shows what can be achieved when people work together.

Welsh businesses have a strong history of supporting volunteering in the local community. Last year employers sent out more than 530 volunteers across Wales on Give & Gain Day Day, providing nearly 4,000 man-hours of volunteering time to support schools, charities and community organisations.

In total, the value of time donated by Wales’ Give & Gain Day volunteers was more than £60,000 – an invaluable investment for community organisations facing increasing challenges to survive. At a time when their vital  services for  young  and vulnerable people are being called upon more than ever, Welsh businesses can show their solidarity and give local communities a much needed boost by sending out teams of volunteers to help in schools, day centres, and youth groups on Friday 18 May.

One of North Wales’ beneficiaries last year was St Mary’s Primary School in Flint who was supported by volunteers from UPM Shotton and Kingspan.  The 40 volunteers had a busy day creating vegetable gardens for each class, and built an outdoor classroom complete with outdoor lighting, water and electricity. 

Ysgol Myn-y-Ddol in Wrexham received a similar ground-force style makeover from volunteers from ScottishPower, Wates, Principality Building Society and Brother Industries, while 100 volunteers from Magnox North were dispatched to a variety of community projects right across Anglesey.

In Cardiff and the South Wales Valleys, organisations that benefited from volunteers’ efforts during the last Give & Gain Day included the Gibbonsdown Community Allotments, Vision 21, the Green Valley Centre in Abercynon, and several schools including Grangetown, Bedwas Infants and Mary the Virgin Primary Schools.

Principality Building Society, UES Energy, Lloyds Banking Group, Black Horse Finance, Injury QED, Real Radio, Enterprise Rent-A-Car, Kaplan Altior and Kier Western all took part contributing some 2,000 hours of time free-of-charge to the local community.

Last year in Newport, workers from six organisations teamed up together to help clear up paths and woodland around Ringland Community Centre. Ten staff from the city’s Office of National Statistics undertook the work along with staff from Castle Bingo, Morgan Sindall (Construction), SERS Ltd and Wales & West Utilities. Their tasks included litter picking, gardening, cleaning, clearing pathways, repairing steps and removing graffiti – all improving the areas used by residents, community groups and schoolchildren.

Simon Harris, Wales Director for Business in the Community said: “Give & Gain Day 2012 is the chance for companies to show that they are really committed to their communities. The impact and change that people can affect is remarkable, and first-hand experience builds skills and motivation in a unique way. It’s a win win too for employers with 87% of the employees that took part last year having increased loyalty towards and perception of their employer as a result.”

Companies that want to make a difference in their communities and get involved with Give & Gain Day should visit www.bitc.org.uk/giveandgainday or contact Paula Griffiths on in North Wales on 01352 706 212 or Jill Salter in South Wales on 029 2078 0050.