Promoting the Work of Colleagues in the Community This Volunteers’ Week

To mark Volunteers' Week (1st - 7th June), Arco is celebrating the work of it colleagues in delivering social value for individuals and communities across the UK.

Colleagues receive an extra two days of paid leave every year to give back to the things that matter most to them. So far, in 2022/2023, 145 days of volunteering have been completed with 16 charities and organisations.

Recent community projects and initiatives supported included eleven colleagues from the business' Customer Engagement Centre decorating a hut for the Scouts, using donated paint and materials, to give the much-loved facility a refresh for its young members.

Elaine Thomas, who is a Customer Support Advisor at Arco and a Scout Leader, said:

"Being a Scout Leader, I get to see the massive impact the hut has on the children who use it. It gives them a creative space to do things they are not able to do in other settings.

"The team volunteering their time and decorating the hut has given it a new lease of life. It also gives the scout leaders the time back that they'd have spent decorating to run additional activities directly with the Scouts."

Another project that was recently supported was TCV Hull and Humber, where colleagues from two teams volunteered to plant trees.

Luke Hilleard, Customer Insights Manager, said:

"It was an exhausting, but very rewarding activity. It involved planting a variety of one-year-old trees, hammering in stakes and applying protective tubing. We planted around 800 trees that day and we can't wait to see the woodland in the future."

James Marsters, Product Publication Lead, added:

"It was a great day and we learnt lots about the trees we were planting and the work that they do."

Kayley Rankin, Tree and Woodland Creation Officer at TCV, said:

"Thanks to the volunteers from Arco, who braved the blustery weather with enthusiasm, we planted 1,800 saplings over two days."

Arco also supports educational partnerships, with two healthcare colleagues recently providing advice and support to a group of jobseekers in central Scotland.

Dougie Logan, Key Account Manager, and Keith Moir, Healthcare Specialist, spent time supporting the Clackmannanshire Economic Regeneration Trust, a charity which helps improve the economic inclusion, development and regeneration of Clackmannanshire.

As part of Arco's relationship with NHS Scotland, Dougie and Keith volunteered to support the charity's pre-employability project, which aims to engage and develop local people and equip them with the skills they need to confidently apply for jobs and find employment.

Mark O'Hare, Operations Manager at Clackmannanshire Economic Regeneration Trust, said:

"Dougie and Keith's generous donation of time and expertise was truly invaluable to all those in attendance. We greatly appreciated their willingness to share their knowledge and experience with us, and I want to extend my deepest thanks for their contributions."

Keith said:

"I think it's great to be able to use a volunteering day to make a positive impact on someone's life.

"The session was a great experience, and it was really rewarding to see how inspired the delegates were by hearing our stories."

To find out more about how Arco is taking action for a safer tomorrow, click here or, if you our your organisation has volunteering opportunities you would like colleagues to consider, Email: Volunteering@arco.co.uk