Fundraising and volunteering

At Saffron, we offer staff volunteering schemes, but our colleagues also enjoy finding their own ways to give something back. As one colleague put it: “If I can do something of value to the community and spend time with colleagues doing something fun and different, or achieve a personal goal at the same time, everyone benefits”.

Our Haverhill branch volunteering with Dedham Vale and Stour Valley volunteers at Clare Castle Country Park to create a dead hedge to guide people and dogs away from the lower path by the river to encourage wildflower growth on the bank.

Here’s what we’ve been up to recently.

Natalie Wells

Natalie Wells, who works at our Colchester branch, ran the London Landmarks Half Marathon in April 2023, for The Tom Bowdidge Foundation, a charity supporting teenagers and young adults with cancer, and raised £866. The cheers 'Go Nat-Nat – Run for Tom' kept her going when her legs wanted to give up.

Saffron Walden branch

This April, as part of a staff volunteering day, our Saffron Walden branch staff gave the corridors of the RA Butler Academy, a secondary school in Saffron Walden, a much-needed lick of paint. Spring makeover complete, the team felt it was a great opportunity for team building as well as giving back.

Bronwen Lee, Christian Draper & Natalie Wells

Bronwen Lee, Christian Draper and Natalie Wells

From decorating the classroom to working in it, in March 2023 Bronwen Lee, Christian Draper and Natalie Wells volunteered to conduct mock interviews with Year 12 students at Saffron Walden County High School, helping to prepare these students for interviews for university or their first full-time jobs.

Ware branch

The team at our Ware branch auctioned off an Easter hamper and raised £154 for local charity Always Bee You, that supports adults with learning disabilities in achieving their potential.

Bishop's Stortford branch

This April, Deanna Barlow and Sarah X from our Bishop's Stortford branch attended an OPAL (Older Persons Active Learning) event at Hadham Village Hall to give advice on how to improve financial wellbeing later in life. They shared information about the free financial wellbeing reviews service we offer, and advice on where to get support on specialist areas such as will writing, estate planning and inheritance tax advice.