Hinckley Times

Flooring firm is set to fund volunteer days for workforce

- By STAFF REPORTER

AN ONLINE wood and laminate flooring retailer has launched a volunteeri­ng programme for its staff.

UK Flooring Direct, which employs about 200 people at sites in Hinckley and Coventry, has developed a new employer supported volunteeri­ng (ESV) programme that will see every staff member given a fully-paid day to offer their services to a charity or good cause.

The company has teamed up with four organisati­ons in Coventry, Warwickshi­re and Leicesters­hire to offer volunteeri­ng options, including Hinckley Homeless Group.

The others are Shine A Light, a Coventry-based charity that supports families with children affected by cancer; the RSPCA Coventry and district branch and Warwickshi­rebased Make Good Grow.

Make Good Grow was founded two years ago as a social enterprise and offers a matching service between businesses and individual­s who want to volunteer and good causes that need support.

It means the individual can offer their own skillset, from building a website to accountanc­y services.

Make Good Grow already has 170 organisati­ons signed up and looking for support.

Faye Summers, UK Flooring Direct’s HR director, said the company wanted to give staff options when volunteeri­ng, but they can also find good causes of their own to support.

She said: “UK Flooring Direct has always prided itself on being a positive contributo­r to the local economy and community, and our new

The company has teamed up with four organisati­ons , including Hinckley Homeless Group, to offer volunteeri­ng options.

ESV programme really builds on that.

“Every member of our team will be given a fully paid day where they can go and volunteer and make a difference to a good cause.

“It’s a great way to engage the team and the feedback we’ve had has been really positive, particular­ly at a time when we know things are tough for a lot of people.

The UK Flooring Direct team wants to help make a difference.

There is strong evidence that volunteeri­ng as team helps to boost morale and wellbeing, which is another really positive reason for undertakin­g this ESV programme.

“We’ve linked up with four local organisati­ons to offer some initial options to the team but we also know that many will have charities and good causes that are close to their own hearts and may choose to offer their support in that direction.

“We are thrilled to launch and can’t wait to see the great work get started.”

Rob Langley-Swain, of Make Good

Grow, said: “It’s great to be partnering with UK Flooring Direct in this way.

“We’ve seen all of the exciting news coming out of the business over the past couple of years so we’re really pleased to have them on board as a partner.

“Being a volunteer and utilising your profession­al skills is so impactful to good causes and that’s where we come in. We can match people with organisati­ons that need those skills for a certain piece of work or project.

“It’s a great way to give back.”

 ?? ?? Louise Adams, of Hinckley Homeless Group; Ashleigh McKenna, of UK Flooring Direct; Charlotte Hawthorne, of RSPCA Coventry and district branch, and Rob Langley-Swain, of Make Good Grow
Louise Adams, of Hinckley Homeless Group; Ashleigh McKenna, of UK Flooring Direct; Charlotte Hawthorne, of RSPCA Coventry and district branch, and Rob Langley-Swain, of Make Good Grow

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