Community day taps into Derby firms’ volunteer potential

Cosy Direct has hosted a successful community day, which aims to unlock the volunteering potential of Derby’s business community.

Last month, a host of companies came together for the first ever Cosy Community Day – a civic day of action organised by the education supplier.

It saw staff from nine organisations leave the office to carry out a wide range of activities, including gardening, tidying and painting.

Companies taking part, including Vaillant and Pennine Healthcare, were each partnered with a school or charity, which put their employees to work.

Among the organisations benefiting from the various makeovers on the day were Derwent Primary School in Derby, Herbert Strutt Primary School in Belper and the charity Umbrella Derby and Derbyshire.

Cosy, which organised the event through its charitable arm, the Cosy Foundation, has set aside a day each year for volunteering since May 2023, when it took part in The Big Help Out, a national campaign set up to mark the coronation of King Charles and Queen Camilla.

Three years on, it has moved the activity to September and now acts as a central co-ordinator to bring everyone together, with 54 of its staff also taking part.

Chief executive Peter Ellse said: “Derby is full of civic-minded companies looking to make a difference, so we wanted to draw them together and make it easier for them to partner with schools and charities who are themselves looking for help.

“Looking at the hard work everyone put in and the smiles on everyone’s faces at the end of the day, it’s clear that our community day was a real success.

“We’ve been supporting communities and children through our Cosy Foundation for 15 years, and it’s a natural step for us to get other local companies involved too.

“When people work in partnership they can achieve great things, and we are looking forward to making the Cosy Community Day an even bigger event next year.”

Among the organisations helping out was Transition 2, a Derby college which gives young people aged 18 to 24 with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) the skills they need for employment and the wider world.

Simon Hancox, head of service at Transition 2, which is based at Friar Gate Studios Skills Centre, said: “Our learners had a brilliant day chopping down brambles, clearing weeds and litter picking and worked hard raking until their arms ached.

“Working with community partner organisations is a wonderful opportunity for learners and staff to meet new people and learn new vocational skills, and they will benefit hugely from getting out of the typical classroom environment and widening their world.”