Community-minded colleagues at Amazon Filters have ‘given back’ nearly 90 days of voluntary service to good causes in 2024.
More than 60 team members devoted time to initiatives such as school grounds improvements, sorting through bags of donated clothes at a hospice charity and clearing leaves from the grounds of a family respite centre.
Community action days at our firm are largely held in association with the corporate volunteering charity CMP, the Community Matters Partnership.
Each member of our staff is allowed two days’ paid leave for volunteering with CMP or doing other charitable work.
Ruth Pappadakis, Head of People and Culture, said: “We partner with CMP on behalf of the local community in a variety of ways.
“On our 2024 programme of community action, we have reached an amazing 87.5 days of service compared to 55.25 last year.
“This massive increase, a rise of 58%, has come about because 62 people came forward as against 33 last year. The numbers are ramping up.
“We’re thrilled that more colleagues are embracing the spirit of giving something back to the communities where we live and work.”
On our final community action day of the year, a group of Amazon Filters ‘Christmas elves’ travelled to Farnborough Aerospace Centre to help gift-wrap hundreds of donated presents ready to go out to disadvantaged and vulnerable children.
Seventeen volunteers also sorted through 267 bags of clothing donations at one of the warehouses used by hospice care charity Phyllis Tuckwell.
Several colleagues spoke about how much they enjoyed the experience.
“I will definitely do it again,” said Janet Finch, Operations Support Administrator: “I got to know other people from different departments within our company I wouldn’t normally work with as well as other lovely volunteers at the warehouse. It felt like a worthwhile job for a very deserving charity.”
Colleague Callum Tovey said: “It was great to see the impact we made from our visit, all the bin bags being collected from what the team had sorted through. Knowing that this warehouse was providing all the shops nationwide, it felt very positive to be a part of.”
For Pauline Guittap, Learning, Development & People Administrator, it was her first time volunteering with CMP.
“It was such a rewarding and fun experience,” she said. “Knowing that each item we sorted could help bring in more support for those in need made the work feel so meaningful. Not only was it amazing to see how our efforts will help raise much needed funds for such a meaningful cause, but it was also great to meet the regular volunteers who dedicate their time there. I’m grateful for the chance to be able to support the incredible work Phyllis Tuckwell does in our community.”
As was the case last year, staff also helped with a huge leaf clear-up in the grounds of Frimhurst House in Frimley Green. The building supports families in crisis by offering respite from poverty, discrimination and social exclusion. It is also a base for adults with learning disabilities to develop life skills, independence and work experience.
Chris Foster, Senior Learning Content Developer, said: “It was great to work together with my colleagues to make a visible difference to the grounds, and contribute to the community in such a hands-on way.”
Fellow Frimhurst volunteer Heather Winter, People Operations Manager, said: “This was my third year volunteering at Frimhurst, and each year feels truly rewarding. We spent the day clearing leaves so disadvantaged families can enjoy a beautiful outdoor space during their holidays. Gradually through the day the transformation of the grounds becomes visible and it is great to see. The festive atmosphere created by CMP, with music and food, made it even more special. Supporting a charity that does such fantastic work for the community is great, and being part of it for a day is definitely fulfilling.”
Community action days have also been held with two local secondary schools during 2024.
Eleven Year 10 pupils from Tomlinscote School in Camberley donned hi-viz jackets and safety footwear for a behind-the-scenes tour of our manufacturing facility.
It was one of a series of workplace visits CMP has organised for pupils under its initiative Raise, standing for Raise Aspirations Inspire Support Encourage. The aim is to share experiences of different vocational opportunities to encourage confidence and motivation about entering the world of work.
And separately, in support of a ‘big interview’ day for students at Kings International College, two of our managers, Keith Wickert and Daniel O’Sullivan, acted as prospective employers to quiz applicants for various roles. The pair helped around 20 ‘candidates’ present themselves across the table, explain their interest in potential jobs and make a case for their suitability.
