Bibby colleagues donate their time to the community after Dragon Boat Race is called off

Colleagues from across Bibby Line Group demonstrated their positivity and charitable spirit following the cancellation of the annual Bibby Dragon Boat Challenge on 13th July.

The race, a highlight of the group’s calendar, was called off due to unforeseen circumstances leaving colleagues disappointed in having to curtail their fundraising on the run up to the event and missing out on the fun and friendly competition the race brings.

But the desire by colleagues was strong to do something positive in place of the race and a host of volunteering opportunities was quickly organised for colleagues to volunteer through the company’s ‘Donate A Day’ scheme to their local communities.

Colleagues from across the group took part in a variety of activities including:

• making up over 250 activity packs for local children to enjoy during the summer holidays at Manchester Central Foodbank
• helping to create a forest school at Wardley Hall, Salford
• painting, weeding, and mucking out chicken coops and goat pens at Autism Together’s Wirral respite centre
• planting trees in a community garden in Banbury, Oxford

Jonathan Kohn, Group HR Director commented

“It was disappointing that the Dragon Boat race couldn’t take place as planned, especially after the tremendous effort the teams had put in with fundraising over the past few months. In line with our company values, we wanted to ensure something positive could come out of this situation, and so I am delighted that our Community team were able to source some last-minute volunteering opportunities for colleagues. Our colleagues are phenomenal, and of course rose to the challenge.

“The days volunteered, coupled with the thousands of pounds already fundraised by colleagues for the Dragon Boat race, will help to make a real difference to improve the quality of life for all in the communities in which we work and live – the core value of our Project Compass Community initiative.”