Every year, our people donate their time to a range of good causes in their local area as part of our Community Action Programme. It’s a scheme which gives our colleagues a day of company time each year to help an organisation or charity of their choice.
Dan Markwell, our Network Support Officer based in Horley, tells about why he chose to support a charity close to his heart.
Christmas last year feels like a while ago now, however still very fresh in my mind is the wonderful story of how our team came together to support St Catherine’s Hospice in Crawley.
For many, the holiday season brings moments of celebration and reflection. However, for some, it can also highlight feelings of loneliness, isolation, or financial strain. For those diagnosed with terminal illnesses, support from hospices offers much-needed comfort and care.
I experienced this first-hand when my partner's mum was diagnosed with stage four lung cancer. Despite receiving treatment, her condition worsened quickly, and she passed away in May 2015. What made her passing even more poignant was that she had worked at St Catherine's Hospice, where she spent her final weeks surrounded by love and care.
Hospices play an essential role in our communities, offering end-of-life care and vital support to families. However, they face significant funding challenges, with only 24% of their budgets covered by government grants. The rest relies on private fundraising, which is a constant effort involving events throughout the year.
So, through our Community Action Programme, I saw an opportunity to help St Catherine's.
They needed vehicles for their Christmas tree recycling event held in mid-January, so I reached out to colleagues at our Horsham depot, who generously provided flatbed vehicles which were perfect for the task in hand.
With help from colleagues across operations, network, and connections services, we collected 73 trees in the West Sussex/Surrey area. This helped the hospice raise £12,500 through 750 orders, with all trees recycled into biomass fuel so they are not wasted!
A big thank you to everyone who contributed to this effort, including Peter Heneghan, Barry Howard, Martin Lewis and Tony Vitler, and to St Catherine’s Hospice for their hospitality. Your support made a real difference!
