A dedicated team of volunteers from Vitality Health spent the day with The Crumbs Project in Bournemouth helping renovate training facilities and providing a festive meal for residents of a nearby assisted living complex.
Businesses are increasingly striving to highlight their social impact by providing employees with opportunities to volunteer for charities or contribute time and resources to meaningful causes through workplace initiatives.
In October 2024, Employee Volunteering, a Community Interest Company based in Hampshire, approached The Crumbs Project with the offer of arranging a team of volunteers from Vitality Health who were looking to practically support a charity working with the local neurodiverse community. With several maintenance and community event projects in progress, The Crumbs Project charity gratefully welcomed the opportunity of support.
In early December 2024, a team of nine volunteers from various business areas across Vitality Health joined the initiative.
The Vitality Health volunteer team took part in a variety of activities, including redecorating the charity’s offices, maintaining outdoor spaces, and serving Christmas meals to residents of a nearby assisted living complex. They also joined The Crumbs Project’s staff and trainees for a festive roast turkey meal and even helped with the washing up in the training kitchen.
Vitality Health Volunteer Toluwa Atilade spoke about her volunteering experience with The Crumbs Project:
Although I hadn’t heard of The Crumbs Project before seeing their volunteering opportunity advertised by my employer, I was interested in getting involved with a charity working with neurodiverse adults, as it’s a cause close to my heart.
I joined a volunteering day with a team of colleagues in December to help with painting and decorating at The Crumbs Project’s training centre. We were there on a day when a special Christmas meal was being prepared and served for Hibberd Court residents [of the assisted living complex] and so we got involved with the trainees and staff from The Crumbs Project in serving meals, making drinks, and tidying up.
If I’m honest, I’m in awe of what the charity does and the people who work there. They were so friendly and welcoming and it felt great to be part of a collective. I was also able to meet colleagues who work in other departments at Vitality Health. We were encouraged to ask questions and get involved. It felt really good to have this opportunity to be part of The Crumbs Project.
I can say this volunteering experience was also very good for my wellbeing and I definitely feel more motivated to do more to help charities.
Toluwa Atilade, Vitality Health
Throughout 2024, The Crumbs Project was supported by 49 volunteers, including six who contributed on a regular weekly basis. The remaining 43 volunteers helped on an ad hoc basis, with their commitment ranging from a few hours to one- or two-day events.
Lee Whalley, Head of Operations at The Crumbs Project, spoke about the impact of volunteers at the charity’s training centre:
As a small charity, we’re constantly juggling operational demands and our ambitions to evolve and improve with our limited resources.
We welcome volunteers from all walks of life who are motivated and enthusiastic about our charity’s mission to provide training and support to disadvantaged adults.
Whether through volunteering you can provide virtual mentoring for a staff team member, host a cookery masterclass for trainees, help in our kitchen garden, or at one of our Showcase Meal events, Christmas or Summer Fairs, we’d love to hear from you and have you involved.
Lee Whalley, Head of Operations at The Crumbs Project
To find out more about current volunteering opportunities and expectations, contact The Crumbs Project team now via email info@crumbs.org.uk or call 01202 519320.
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