Giving back with a purpose: Volunteering at St Gemma's Retail Hub

Now, if you don’t know already, giving back to the community is a huge part of our values here at Engage. We love doing our bit for local charities, and one of the ways we do that is by offering paid volunteer days to our team. Recently, Amy, one of our Client Strategists, and her partner Ryan, took a day to volunteer at St Gemma’s Retail Hub in Bramley.

Amy and Ryan’s day at St Gemma’s

Ryan’s grandparents had received care from St Gemma’s Hospice in the past, so he and Amy wanted to give back to the place that had helped their family so much. So they spent the day organising and cataloguing thousands of books that the organisation receives every month. A bookworm’s dream!

Amy and Ryan were amazed by the level of dedication and enthusiasm shown by the volunteers they worked with, who were all committed to supporting the hospice’s mission. They even entered into some friendly competition:

“They greatly helped my grandparents end of life experience and I wanted some way to give back, by organising and collating the thousands of books they receive each month and trying to find them a new home.

Little did I know that the scanning service used was to become a day of fierce competition as each tried to outdo each other over the value each book was worth. Obviously I lost!” said Ryan.

Who are St Gemma’s?

St Gemma’s Hospice is a charity organisation based in Leeds, that provides specialised care for people with life-limiting illnesses, primarily cancer. A team of over 300 doctors, nurses, social workers, and counsellors, St Gemma’s also operates charity shops and retail hubs that generate income to fund their work and support their patients.

Using Business as a Force for Good

Engage’s commitment to giving back to the community through volunteering at St Gemma’s Hospice is just one example of how businesses can use their resources to create positive social impact. But that’s not the only benefit; businesses that prioritise social and environmental responsibility have been proven to attract and retain talented employees who share these values, increasing engagement and job satisfaction.

So, whether it’s volunteering at your local charity, supporting ethical businesses, let’s all do our bit to create a more equitable and sustainable future for everyone.

You can find out more about our Force for Good scheme here.