From volunteering in a women's centre in Cornwall to chairing a harmonica society, these are just some of the different ways Resonance staff give their time to charitable causes.

To celebrate Volunteers’ Week, we wanted to highlight our fantastic Resonance employees who give up their time to make a real impact, not only during their daily work life but in their own time too.

Volunteers’ Week is an annual celebration, which this year runs  from 1 – 7 June. It’s a chance to recognise the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering. 

Why is volunteering important?

Volunteering has many benefits and allows for unique opportunities, connections and community bonds to form. 

Outside of work, volunteering allows a gateway for personal growth and development, where acts of kindness can bring about positive change to build a stronger society. 

16.3m people volunteered through a group, club or organisation in 2020/21

Almost one in five (17%) people reported volunteering at least once a month, about 9.2m people

 

Resonance Volunteers

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Barry Elms, IT Manager at Resonance’s Launceston office, volunteers for the charity HarmonicaUK. It’s Britain's national harmonica charity, which has hundreds of members across the United Kingdom and worldwide. Barry’s current role is Chair of the charity - he is responsible for strategy at executive level and manages a team of over 30 trustees and volunteers across the charity’s range of activities. The role also involves responsibility for charity finances, membership, communications and IT, as well as a quarterly magazine and an annual festival, which includes teaching workshops, two shows, and visiting artists from around the world. Barry has been a trustee for HarmonicaUK for over three years and has previously volunteered for the charity in the role of Magazine Editor and Head of Communications/Vice Chair.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Leila Sharland, Senior Investment Manager and Deputy Head of Growing Enterprises at Resonance, volunteers for Tir Coed, as a Deputy Chair on the Board of Trustees. Leila’s role is to work on the overview and strategic direction of the charity.

Tir Coed connects people with land (Tir) and woods (Coed) by delivering outdoor training, learning and wellbeing programmes across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Powys.

Tir Coed has found a formula that works and rarely asks directly for public support, but grant funds are hard to find, so Leila wants to fundraise for them to help do more great work in future. To assist with that,

Leila recently completed RideLondon, a 100 mile cycle to raise funds for the charity. She is continuing her fundraising with an aim of hitting £1,000. 

Leila said: “I am so pleased I completed the 100 mile cycle ride. It was a very long day, and my legs were pretty sore, but all worth it for a good cause. Tir Coed is close to my heart as a Trustee, and I am grateful that Resonance encourages me to volunteer and engage with them as a charity.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Grace Moon, Digital Marketing Co-ordinator at Resonance volunteers at Falmouth Marine Conservation (FMC) as their Social Media Co-ordinator.
Grace’s role involves assisting in the daily management of Falmouth Marine Conservation’s social media platforms and sitting on the committee.

FMC is an active group of volunteers who raise marine awareness to empower the community in protecting the local marine environment and aims to educate by engaging local schools and holding events like their Rockpool Ramble sessions. It also collects research through various projects such as Pacific Oysters, Seaquest Shore Searches, Seagrass, and the Cetacean Acoustic Trend Tracking project.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Kate Aiken, Investment Manager at Resonance volunteers at Early Essentials Stockport, which provides newborn  starter packs for vulnerable mums and babies. They work with health and social care professionals alongside other agencies with the goal of helping new mums who are in desperate need of even the most basic supplies.

Kate said: “Stockport Early Essentials has a small and wonderful team of very dedicated volunteers. I started several years ago by helping to pack the beautiful baskets that are gifted to vulnerable families. My main role at the moment is acting as Treasurer for the Stockport branch and securing grant funding for any gaps in our donations – for example, moses baskets, mattresses and stands.

“We would love to expand our services by supporting more families and increasing our provisions. We are limited by the size of the premises we have now, so another objective of mine is to look at options for larger premises in Stockport which will mean we can support more mums and babies.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Martin Lawson, Head of Impact & Innovation at Resonance, has been involved as a volunteer with Clean for Good since its earliest days, when it only existed as an idea with a business model. Now a significant player in the central London cleaning market, it is very clearly positioned as a different kind of cleaning company - offering professional workspace cleaning that provides fair pay, dignified work and good management.

Martin currently works as a non-executive director  with Clean for Good, chairing the board and supporting the Managing Director.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Passionate about social equality and climate justice, Karen Wilson, Senior Communications Manager at Resonance, volunteers as a charity trustee for two brilliant Cornish charities.

The Women’s Centre Cornwall provides holistic, empowering, women-centred support for women and girls who are living with the impact of abuse and The 2 Minute Foundation encourages everyone to take action, play their part and help clean up our precious planet, 2 minutes at a time.

As a charity trustee, Karen works with other trustees to support the CEOs in the running of their charities, helping them to achieve their ambitions.

She said: “I absolutely love working as a trustee and feel incredibly privileged to work alongside inspirational and passionate people and organisations making a real difference in their respective missions, and I am super grateful to Resonance for actively encouraging and supporting me to volunteer. Thanks Resonance!”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Robin Short, Property Refurbishment Manager at Resonance volunteered for the House of Wayward Plants.

The House of Wayward Plants recycle thousands of plants from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show and the RHS Hampton Court Palace Garden Festival and gives them to schools and community gardens all over London and the surrounding areas.

The House of Wayward Plants is run as a volunteer scheme, Robin signed up and joined the team to help collect and redistribute plants.