We are planning to make 2024 a record year for company volunteering for good causes.
Our team members clocked up 55 days of hands-on voluntary work last year.
Their input was co-ordinated through our HR team and a second year of support for volunteering partner CMPP, the Community Matters Partnership Project.
Colleagues rounded off 2023 by helping to clear more than a million leaves from the grounds of Frimhurst House, a respite centre for families in crisis and a base for adults with learning disabilities to find work experience and develop life skills.
Earlier in the year we helped plant 300 saplings in the grounds of Challengers, a play centre for disabled children in Guildford.
Other projects with CMPP have included clearing the pond area at Lorraine Infant School in Camberley, gardening at Reg’s Community Garden in Farnborough, general maintenance at Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in Farnborough and summer beach cleans at Littlehampton and Hayling Island.
According to CMPP, the 55 days’ involvement of Amazon Filters in 2023 equates to 275 hours and £5225 worth of help across the organisations it supports.
Now, we want to do even better and are inviting more colleagues to get involved.
Action days already in plan for this year include help for Yateley Industries for Disabled in March, Reg’s Community Garden in April, a Hayling Island beach clean in July and a third ‘Festive Frimhurst’ leaf clearing day in December.
Ruth Pappadakis, Head of People and Culture, said: “Every member of our staff can use two paid days for volunteering each year. For us, 2023 really saw some amazing commitment, truly a year to be proud of in giving back to the local community. We were thrilled to beat our 2022 total of 47 volunteering days and some of the charities and causes we helped could not have afforded to do the activities otherwise. But we want to do even more so we are challenging our team to go even further.”
Community volunteers represent a range of departments at our Albany Park, Frimley, production centre. They include engineering, fabrication and office-based roles.
Some of those who have done volunteering days with CMPP have spoken about their experiences.
Maintenance Engineer Tom Courtez-Brown helped clear and tidy the garden and reorganise an upstairs space at Phyllis Tuckwell Hospice in October 2023.
Tom said: “It was such a rewarding and worthwhile day. As someone who has had several family members cared for by the hospice it felt incredible to be able to give something back in a small way.
“As with many people in our local community I am personally aware of the important work that the hospice carry out caring for our loved ones, so it was an enjoyable experience to be able to give something back to the workers and volunteers who give so much to our community.
“I got a real sense of pride and achievement. It was an excellent opportunity to work alongside colleagues in the business who I ordinarily would not and the feedback we received from everyone around the building about how grateful they were for our help made it feel like a really special day.”
With Tom at Phyllis Tuckwell was Bernie Stones, Senior People Administrator, who said: “Our team moved furniture, and did some gardening, we made storage areas inside and out, and made the front of the building look more welcoming to visitors. We even had time for fun cleaning their minibus! A great day had by all, and what may seem small things to us, meant a great deal to Phylis Tuckwell.”
Bernie also volunteered at Lorraine Infant School in March 2023, said: “This was such a great day, and an amazing team effort. Our mission was the school pond area which had become vastly overgrown during Covid and which the children couldn’t visit any more.
“We had the chance to enjoy the outdoors and make a difference and it was so worth the effort just to see the smiles on the children’s faces once we had it looking it’s best again. Now, they can go back to learning about insects, and enjoy visiting their pond again.”
Amy Mann, a Buyer in the Cartridge Production team, attended both the beach clean in July 2023 and Phyllis Tuckwell.
Amy said: “I have been on a few of the CMPP volunteering events and while I can say that I have enjoyed each day, knowing that the work I’ve done supports local charities and the community makes it even more rewarding.
“CMPP are well organised, and the staff are knowledgeable, experienced, and friendly. Any specialised equipment needed for the day is provided for example for the beach clean event bin bags and litter pickers are provided and should you forget your own gloves they normally have a few spares just in case.
“And most importantly, there's also plenty of tea and coffee provided throughout the day to keep you going!”
Amazon Filters became a CMPP business partner in November 2021.
