Big-hearted employees of Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Pontypridd Town Centre Regeneration Contractors Costain took a day off work to support a local good cause.
As part of the Give & Gain Day, the UK’s only national day of employee volunteering, run by business charity Business in the Community, volunteers joined an international army of over 17,000 volunteers out and about making a positive difference in their local communities.
Bob Satchell a general foreman employed by Costain and working on the Pontypridd project, coordinated volunteers who contributed their skills, talent and experience to help groups with real needs in the community. The 10 employees from the Costain offices who all work on the £10.5million Pontypridd Regeneration Scheme, swapped their working day to help a local school.
By collaborating with Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pont Sion Norton near Cilfynydd, the staff built a much needed outdoor play and learning area for the infants along with a sensory garden.
The team worked with parents and teachers to construct a level decking area, cartoon murals, and planting areas. The new decking area was funded by the Parents Teachers Association and some of the cobbles from Church Street, Pontypridd were recycled to create a retaining wall around a planting area.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Council’s Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Safer Communities Cllr Paul Cannon said: “It is believed that £1 million of man hours will be injected in to community projects around the globe by Give & Gain Day 2011 participants.
“Working in teams, Costain’s volunteers will be contributing their skills, talent and experience to help groups with real needs in the community. Their work at Pontsionnorton certainly has been very welcomed and congratulations to all those who took part in the scheme.”
In a recent consultation with its membership Business in the Community identified employee volunteering as one of the key ways that businesses can develop meaningful, sustainable relationships with communities.
Give & Gain Day demonstrates the power of employee volunteering and is an excellent way of introducing businesses to the impact they can have in local communities and the benefits it can bring to their business.
Give & Gain Day is run by Business in the Community, with national sponsors Lloyds Banking Group, Eversheds LLP and Hewlett Packard in association with BT and GyroHSR.
Simon Harris, Wales Director for Business in the Community said: “Volunteering is one way in which businesses can start to build real relationships and help to transform the communities they live and work in across Wales. I’m delighted to see what the employees of Costain, the teachers and parents have achieved. I’m sure that the impact of the volunteers’ efforts on Give & Gain Day 2011 will leave a lasting legacy at the school for many years to come.”
Rhys Lloyd, the Headteacher at Ysgol Gynradd Gymraeg Pont Sion Norton said: “The school, in partnership with its Parent Teacher Association wrote to Costain asking for their help in regenerating our youngest pupils’ outside learning area. Over the past month Costain employees have been working hard to transform what was previously a sloping area of ageing tarmac into a colourful garden complete with decking, planting area and colourful murals.
“We owe Costain a debt of gratitude for agreeing to take on the project and for providing the school’s pupils with an outside area where they can play and learn in a safe and stimulating environment.”
The £10.5 million project Pontypridd Regeneration project is taking place following the council’s successful attempts to secure financial support from the Welsh Assembly Government through the European Regional Development Fund and Targeted Match Funding, alongside council and private sector contributions.
