Below are some stories of recent coporate volunteering that Volunteering WA has facilitated.
February 2012
bankwest's corporate volunteering events
On 10 February 2012, 12 volunteers from Bankwest’s Treasury team braved the heat to undertake a garden ‘blitz’ around a four-unit residential complex for Rocky Bay. This included, pruning trees and plants to ensure paths are clear for wheelchair use, weeding, lawn mowing, cleaning up debris and general garden tidying and beautification. In an amazing feat of strength, coordinated team work and persistence, the volunteers cleared two skip bins of weeds and piled up even more to be cleared away by the Council.
Bankwest volunteer at Rocky Bay
santos' corporate volunteering events
This year’s activity commenced with new corporate member Santos Limited spending an afternoon at Native ARC in Bibra Lake. The members of Santos’ Perth Drilling and Completions team engaged in a wide range of activities including removal of old enclosure materials, general rubbish clean-up and the dismantling of two broken shelters, construction and repair of enclosure fencing, installation of shade-cloth to cover fencing, installation of a fibreglass pond, weeding and laying of several paved paths, and habitat enrichment within enclosures. The hardworking team was also invited to become acquainted with some of the ‘scalier’ of Native ARC’s residents.
Santos getting up close and personal at Native ARC
woodside's corporate volunteering events
Woodside’s AusBU, LNG Development, and Oil & Gas Development teams spent three full days in a renovation ‘blitz’ at Mission Australia’s YIRRA House in Carlisle. The teams were involved in internal cleaning and renovation preparation, painting, furniture assembly as well as other duties in what was a complete refurbishment of the clients’ bedrooms, living area, hallways and common rooms. The colourful design was directed by celebrity renovator Christie Blizzard and Woodside volunteers enjoyed working on her vibrant design. Mission Australia and the young residents were delighted with their refurbished home.
Colour was the key for Woodside as they helped out with renovations at Mission Australia
October 2011
Woodside’s corporate volunteering events
Last month found Woodside’s NR2 team of 50 spending a day out in the hot sun to complete large-scale planting of seedlings for Cockburn Wetlands. Many of the team could be found in the wetlands area, elegantly kitted-up in waders or gumboots, either wading in water up to their thighs or squelching around the muddy edges while planting and installing tree-guards around several different native species. Others of the team spent the day planting for regeneration of the upper dryland area, while another group in this same area carefully measured out and constructed a grid of reticulation pipes to ensure that the seedlings will have the best chance of survival.
Woodside volunteers at Cockburn Wetlands
bankwest's corporate volunteering events
Time to make Safe Sex Packs!
On 10 October 2011, 30 Bankwest employees from the Customer Delivery and IT Change Management team volunteered with the WA AIDS Council. The volunteers in a span of 4.5 hours made over 18,000 safe sex packs. The safe sex packs made will be distributed at Leaver Week, the Pride Festival and various other WA AIDS Council stalls.
Bankwest Volunteers making Safe Sex Packs
Lending a hand at Kids are Kids!
Kids Are Kids! is a not for profit organisation created to meet the educational and therapy needs of any child and their family. Their services are in high demand and they needed to convert a few offices into therapy rooms. A group of Bankwest employees spent an afternoon helping them convert offices into therapy rooms. The volunteers painted rooms, moved and refurbished the rooms, cleaned windows, paved a path, set up play equipment and archived documents.
Bankwest volunteers at Kids are Kids!
Volunteering at Foodbank
A group of 20 volunteers from Bankwest volunteered at Foodbank in October. Part of the team was involved in recycling efforts and spent a glorious afternoon outdoors assisting in the recycling. The rest of the team made frozen food packs. David Warren from FoodBank stated “One benefit (of group corporate volunteering) is the opportunity to assemble hampers and recycle products as these are activities we would not normally be able to complete with our limited staff resources.”
Bankwest volunteers at FoodBank 1 Bankwest volunteers at FoodBank 2
alcoa's corporate volunteering events
Over 35 employees from Alcoa came to lend a hand at the Homeless Connect warehouse on 26 October. They worked non-stop to unpack and sort donated goods in preparation for Volunteering WA’s Homeless Connect event mid-November. Boxes were put together, canned food was sorted, clothing was hung on racks, and countless sheets and towels were folded to perfection. It was an urban busy bee, and Alcoa got the job done! A few employees were also able to provide a few items to a homeless family who passed by during the rainy morning.
Alcoa volunteers lending a hand at the Homeless Connect Warehouse
September 2011
Woodside’s corporate volunteering events
Human Resources: Woodside’s Human Resources team undertook an amazing renovation of kangaroo enclosures at Native ARC. Under the watchful eye of ‘Henry’ the cockatoo and his feathered friends, shade-cloth was installed, animal hides were repaired, cement mixed and laid for a feeding station, gates to enclosures built and repaired, shrubbery pruned, and an incredible mass of weeds were removed.
Financial Processes team members greatly assisted the Darling Range Wildlife Shelter. This team was lucky enough to have the opportunity of bottle-feeding the joeys before commencing their tasks. During the day verandahs were oiled, meat and milk mixes for the animals were measured, prepared according to the recipe and packaged, aviaries were painted, plant-holders made and installed in the aviaries, and kangaroo pens were weeded.
It was a very wet day for Subsea and Pipelines team members, who volunteered at two garden venues that support The Amanda Young Foundation (Amanda’s Garden, and Romancing the Stone). Despite the torrential downpours, brick paving was laid, paths were weeded, raked and mulched, ponds were built, roses fertilised, a gazebo painted, flowerpots relocated, shrubs trimmed and garden beds cleaned and weeded. The team’s perseverance and hard work in both gardens during the highly unfavourable weather conditions will definitely contribute to pleasurable Open Garden Days for the public in October and, hopefully, successful fundraising for the Foundation’s Meningococcal Support and Awareness activities.
Corporate Affairs added wonderful energy to Rocky Bay’s AFL Grand Final luncheon! The morning starting with painting banners with “Get about” clients and preparing “footy” food such as pies and sausage rolls. Ashley Prescott, a development coach from the Fremantle Dockers, gave an inspiring talk, and encouraged clients to join the Woodside team in a handball game. The smiles were abundant as prizes were given out to all who participated. The lunch ended with tasty desserts and a footy quiz. It was a fantastic day – Rocky Bay has already hinted at asking Woodside employees to come back again next year.
The Finance – Group Reporting team volunteered at Andrew’s Place for Hills Community Support Group. Rooms were painted in two of the residential areas, old lawn was removed and sand dug out lower than existing paving, retaining walls were backfilled with sand, a huge number of rocks were collected from the extensive bushland site and used for building a retaining wall, gardens were weeded, mulched, and flowers planted, and general rubbish removed.
Bankwest’s corporate volunteering events
The Financial Leadership team from Bankwest spent an afternoon thoroughly ‘Blitzing’ the gardens at Rocky Bay’s Jessie Rutter House. Overgrown shrubbery was trimmed to improve wheelchair access, weeds removed and gardens mulched, paths pressure-sprayed, and outdoor furniture oiled. The residents were extremely delighted with the result and now have several pleasant outdoor spaces in which to enjoy the warmer months.
The IT & Change Management spent their volunteering day assisting Riding for the Disabled. Their activities including painting drums and safety cones and poles, cleaning and oiling tack, clearing away debris and pruning trees. The staff and volunteers at RDA were very pleased with the work completed, and the enthusiasm with which the Bankwest staff brought to the activity.
