CMS at Stepney City Farm
“This Year, CMS have participated in three corporate volunteer days with Stepney City Farm and there is a further date in the diary to round off a successful year of corporate volunteering. The teams from CMS are always enthusiastic and willing to get stuck in with a range of farming tasks. The groups have helped with turning the compost, … mucking out, animal socialising with pigs and smaller animals, food growing tasks, and clearing overhanging branches from the perimeter fence line.”
– Felicity Rhodes, Corporate Volunteer Facilitator, Stepney City Farm
Stepney City Farm is one of many community organisations ELBA work with to help build capacity, provide training and skills workshops as well as facilitating volunteers from our business partners to aid with tasks as mentioned above. This year, CMS has had teams out who have got stuck right in with volunteering and meeting the needs of the Farm, for which volunteers are crucial in more ways than one, as further highlighted by Felicity below:
“Corporate volunteering groups make a huge difference to the farm in a short space of time. With physically demanding tasks such as turning the compost, it really is a case of many hands make light work. Although animal socialising feels like a treat to the group, it is really important that the animals are handled regularly by confident and calm people. Regular animal socialising means that the animals are relaxed and ready for work as therapy animals for the Animal and Nature Wellbeing Group, and that they can be handled safely by our more vulnerable volunteers. It is always a huge help to have groups of corporate volunteers to help us keep on top of large-scale farming tasks.”
This really brings to light the importance of volunteers to the Farm, not only to get work done in an efficient manner, but also has an impact for service users, staff and the animals alike. Following a team challenge in August, the team leader commented:
“The volunteers shared how much they enjoyed the day, especially meeting the animals! They felt the work was rewarding and great to work with the staff who were clearly passionate about what they do.”
– CMS, New Trainees CR Day (22/08/19)
The staff at Stepney City Farm have really appreciated the volunteer effort from CMS thus far and have also welcomed teams from Societe Generale, London City Airport, State Street, Nuveen and Chaucer this summer.
There are many more opportunities for teams from CMS to make a difference to a community organisation like a city farm, adventure playgrounds, working with the elderly, gardens, parks etc. For more information or to get involved, contact Smera.Nadeem@elba-1.org.uk for more information.
