A surge in social action for the start of September

Between 3 and 7 September, 82 Paddington employees from five local businesses gave 462 hours to support local schools, charities and community groups.

The week began at Hallfield Primary School, where ten colleagues from Visa’s Internal Audit Team spent an autumnal-themed day sanding and oiling the 32 school benches and filling over 40 sacks with leaves.

Tuesday was the turn of Vodafone. The legal team split themselves between two school sites – King Solomon Academy and Paddington Green, where they transformed the classrooms and playgrounds. In just over six hours, the 30 strong team had ticked off an impressive task list; including building raised beds for vegetable growing, weeding the school driveway and car park, spreading a mountain of bark chippings and cleaning and decorating blackboards in form rooms.

Wednesday began bright and early with Marks & Spencer and Heathrow Express joining forces to help deliver speedy service at North Paddington Foodbank. Between them the volunteers dated donations, stacked tins, bagged up fresh produce, registered and served clients. M&S are following up their hands-on-experience by sharing their marketing skills and designing a new shopping list for the foodbank. This will be used when the foodbank hold collections in local supermarkets and shops, to communicate the work of the charity and the items they particularly need.

Vodafone returned on Thursday and spent the day at Paddington Recreation Ground. The 27-acre public park has a range of sports facilities including tennis courts, a gym and athletics track, as well as tranquil rose gardens, a popular children’s playground and large playing fields for games of catch and picnics. The group included two apprentices marking their first day at Vodafone with time out the office volunteering, one colleague returning from maternity leave and another who was coming to the end of their first week with the company.

By contrast on Friday, one Kingfisher team member spent their last day with the company by volunteering at WECH. The meticulous team of 10 redecorated a local resident’s hallway and tidied neighbouring gardens – removing weeds, clearing leaves and raking soil.