Last week we joined in the celebrations for National Volunteers’ Week and chose to spotlight our very own volunteers, as well as take a look back at our team volunteer days over the past year.
Here is what we’ve been up to:
July 2023
In July, 26 employees enjoyed a lovely day volunteering at the Ascension Burial Ground with Cambridge City Council. We supported by cutting down weeds and invasive plants and raked, and raked some more!
September 2023
In September we sponsored and volunteered at Power2Inspire’s PowerHouse Games for the 4th year running. Founder John Willis developed the PowerHouse Games to ensure ‘no one is left on the bench’ and PEM volunteers were teamed up with Cambridge University Rugby players, one student from a state school, one from a private school and one from the Castle School, which is for children with special educational needs.
12 PEM volunteers enjoyed kwik cricket, boccia, blindfolded goalball, touch rugby, walking football and seated volleyball. We adapted each game to fit the needs of our team which ensured it was fun for all.
November 2023
23 members of PEM were fortunate enough to spend a sunny autumn day volunteering for charity Cambridge Past, Present & Future (CPPF) at their beautiful site, Wandlebury Country Park.
We helped clear a specific part of the park to allow for new growth and help provide a biodiverse and varied habitat for different types of animals, as well as tree-felling, collecting and clearing trees and branches, sharpening branches to create stakes, creating natural hedging and wood splitting.
‘The Team at PEM were incredibly hard-working and enthusiastic. The work they carried out on the day really contributed towards our Woodland Restoration Project’. – James, Ranger.
In April 2023 the PEM Charitable Trust also donated £2,000 to CPPF, which helped fund the planting of new trees.
May 2024
On Friday 3 May, 5 members of PEM volunteered at C3 Impact in Cambridge. 5 PEM employees helped prepare lunch and dessert for their weekly ‘Food Truck Fridays’, where they feed up to 120 individuals completely free of charge. For a lot of the guests, this is the only opportunity they get to have a hot meal and a conversation.
It was amazing to see the impact a somewhat small thing (to most of us) like a home-cooked meal could make to so many people. Not only that, but it was a safe place to sit, relax, get warm and enjoy a chat with others.
June 2024
7 team members volunteered at Co Farm in Cambridge on Friday 7 June. Co Farm is a community farm project which grows a huge variety of produce, some of which supplies local restaurants, some is on sale at a reduced price, and some is also donated to those in need.
Employees got stuck in and planted pumpkin plants, learnt some great skills and tips on how-to grow quality-British produce, and picked some delicious beans and strawberries.
At PEM we are fortunate enough to be gifted two volunteer days per year, and we sure do put them to use!