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As part of its commitment to the local community Saga has announced the introduction of a formalised workplace volunteering programme. The programme gives Saga employees the opportunity to volunteer their time to local community charities and projects in the areas that they work.

Saga’s employees already support a huge number of community activities from community gardens through to local beach cleans but many would love to be able to do even more.  Saga is keen to support their employee’s efforts to create partnerships that encourages shared ownership for community wellbeing. Each permanent Saga employee is now eligible to take one day per year, to volunteer for a UK registered charity.

As part of setting up the scheme, volunteering has already taken place at Touchbase Care in Folkestone, a community group where people with physical disabilities, mild learning difficulties, neurodiversity and sensory impairment are supported in arts, education, access to work, recreation, health and well-being. A group of individuals from within the business worked tirelessly, painting many of the centre’s rooms including the main arts & therapy rooms. Saga also supplied painting materials as well as plants and compost for the garden area as part of its community funding.

Saga employees have also previously volunteered both their time and skills at East Kent Mencap’s Summer Festival, supporting the charity that assists adults and children with  learning disabilities to become more independent. The Festival has run since 2008, with the aim to showcase the sporting and healthy activities available in Kent to people with learning disabilities and encouraging them to get involved. Saga employees helped to set the event up as part of the physical volunteering aspect of the programme, helping to build marquees and tents, setting up & manning stalls, selling raffle tickets and refreshments.

Further volunteering opportunities are planned, with an Internet Security session taking place on 4th April 2019 in Thanet, where local charities are being invited to attend.  Saga’s employees can support the attending charities by providing their expertise for free, forming part of the skills-based volunteering. 

Helen Wathen, Charity Fundraising and Community Manager at Saga said, “Our employees are hugely charitable and already provide a huge amount of support to local community projects, but they wanted to be able to do more. We are delighted to be able to support them to give even more time to the charities they feel so passionately about.

“As the largest local employer, it is important that we encourage employees to be able to benefit the communities in which they both live and work. Our Employer Supported Volunteering Programme provides links to both charities and communities, often creating ongoing partnerships that make a real difference to both the project and to the individuals taking part”.