CASE STUDIES

From ‘Big Week Out’ to ‘Three Big Weeks Out’

In June 2007, law firm Addleshaw Goddard launched ‘Big Week Out’: a mass volunteering event that offered 300 Addleshaw Goddard employees the chance to spend a day at one of five projects in London, Leeds and Manchester. 

 

Due to it's success, the event was extended to three weeks and over 600 volunteers took part in 2008 and over 700 in 2009. City Action facilitated a range of these events for Addleshaw Goddard employees in London.

 

2008 projects

 

Starting at midnight on 23 May 2008, 610 volunteers supported 37 community based projects across the firm's three home cities of London, Leeds and Manchester.

Events in London focussed on supporting eight schools - ranging from tidying up gardens, sprucing up playgrounds, building sensory boards for children with learning disabilities and providing interview skills support.

In addition, London office staff spent time at Spitalfields City Farm, ran drama workshops and sports days with Kids Company and raised money for their Charity of the Year through a pool competition and an eBay Challenge. The Big Week Out finished off in grand style with a Goal Ball competition, run in conjunction with British Blind Sport and London Sports Forum, which gave teams from 6 London businesses to experience the issues of access to mainstream sports faced by people with a disability.

 

2009 projects

 

Over 75 projects took place, creating 1000 volunteer opportunities, and the Big Week Out doors were also opened to give experience of mass volunteering to people outside the firm.  Participants included future trainees and a group of people from over 70 London based businesses who are setting up their own CSR functions.

In London, Addleshaw Goddard people were offered a choice of 25 community projects.  Members of the firm's management committee are spent a day with the management team at the HIV and AIDS charity 'Body and Soul' to work through their business-related issues.  One of the company’s IT specialists also spent time assisting Body and Soul by setting up a music room facility that can be used by children and young people visiting the centre.

 

The projects on this year's Big Week Out reflect a real progression for the programme and in the kind of support we can offer local communities. We are delighted to still be doing physical tasks such as painting and gardening and these are very popular with our volunteers, but it is also significant that the event has developed to include projects where we can add real value to communities and charities by sharing our skills and knowledge.

Marcus Jamieson-Pond, CSR Manager


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