Warehouse Volunteering

Description

A charity supporting those previously homeless, as they transition into accommodation, has benefitted from the support of volunteers from McLaughlin & Harvey.

Fresh Start is an Edinburgh-based charity helping people who have been homeless get established in their new homes. Working in partnership with volunteers and organisations from a broad section of the community, they deliver a range of services that provide the practical and social support that helps people resettle successfully.

Each year Fresh Start helps thousands of new tenants settle into their homes.

McLaughlin & Harvey undertook the volunteering as part of their community benefits commitments delivered through their Usher Institute project, a new research facility for the University of Edinburgh funded by the Edinburgh & South East Scotland City Region Deal.

Jane Elder, Social Value Coordinator at McLaughlin & Harvey, said: "As a company it is a priority to make sure that we are supporting the communities in which we work, and Fresh Start are making a real difference to the lives of people across the city. My colleague Emma Standish and I were delighted to support the charity in any way we could, and it has also been a learning experience for us. Having seen the request on the portal we responded, and I would encourage any company working in the area to register and see how they can help good causes like this".

Darcey Joyce of Fresh Start said: "We are always glad of any support from businesses in the city and it's great McLaughlin & Harvey saw the request on the portal and decided to pitch in. It's good to see that these big construction sites and developments across the city are actually also benefitting charities and residents and I would really recommend good causes register on ESESCommunities.org to see if they can also get support from businesses. At the end of the day, it benefits the people who matter the most – those who we are supporting into accommodation who were previously homeless."

McLaughlin & Harvey is a privately-owned construction and civil engineering business with 170 years’ experience. The company employs over 800 people and operates throughout the United Kingdom and Ireland, delivering quality construction, civil engineering and fit-out projects as well as facilities management services to various sectors.

More information about the Usher Institute can be found here.