Give & Gain Day 2014 – call for more businesses to be part of the UK’s only national day of employee volunteering

On Friday 16 May 2014 thousands of employees from businesses across the UK will be getting out into their communities to volunteer their time to help community groups.

Businesses across the UK contain legions of skilled, experienced and energetic employees who are all potential volunteers. By getting unprecedented numbers of people out volunteering on one day, Business in the Community aims to raise awareness of the talent and skills found in UK business; highlight the genuine appetite amongst business to help communities prosper and encourage many more businesses to get involved in volunteering all year round.

Business volunteers are helping in schools, day centres and youth groups, doing everything from volunteering to reading with children in primary schools to completing practical challenges to make over an outdoor space or paint a room for a community and voluntary group. Others are putting their business skills to good use by carrying out a project probono such as helping with marketing, providing financial advice or signing up to sit on the board of a local group.

Kieran Harding, Managing Director, Business in the Community said “Give & Gain Day is an opportunity for businesses, community organisations and schools to celebrate what can be achieved through the power of volunteers. Employee volunteering is a win-win, the experience builds skills and motivates employees, whilst helping meet community needs.” Give and Gain Day in Northern Ireland is Sponsored by SPAR.

Bronagh Luke from local sponsor, SPAR, said: “At SPAR, volunteering is a business staple. We’ve experienced huge benefits by empowering our staff to participate in a range of activities, from practical challenges to engaging with schools. There is no down side. Volunteering is a key way in which businesses such as ours can help make a real and visible difference to the communities in which we operate and we’d encourage everyone to get involved with Give & Gain Day this year.”

Give & Gain Day participants in Northern Ireland are in good company, joining a global movement of thousands of volunteers across 26 countries as diverse as Spain, Iran, Nigeria and Guatemala. Sponsored nationally by Lloyds Banking Group, Society and Waitrose and in association with BT and ITV, Give & Gain Day 2014 is dedicated to getting thousands of employees out of the office, store or factory to volunteer in their local communities.

By making volunteering fun, accessible and inspirational Business in the Community aims to make it something that all businesses give their staff an opportunity to do in work time.

To get involved in Northern Ireland, please visit www.bitcni.org.uk or call the Cares team on (028) 9046 0606.

For more information, visit www.giveandgainday.org.uk