University of Lincoln Staff Give Back at YMCA

Staff from the Lincoln International Business School have chopped, peeled, painted and sorted for people being supported by the YMCA in Lincoln.

They were able to help for the day thanks to the University’s Give Back Scheme which is a chance for staff to swap a normal working day for one that directly benefits the community.

It was Lincoln YMCA’s first corporate volunteering event, which took place yesterday, and involved four groups from the University.

Groups took part in a range of activities including re-painting areas of Woodlands Nursery in Birchwood and sorting donated items at the Nomad Trust charity shop on Moorland Avenue.

Staff also visited the Nomad Trust’s Emergency Access Shelter on Monks Road where they helped shelter staff to organise food donations as well as preparing meals for residents.

The shelter offers accommodation and support for those who are homeless or sleeping rough, providing residents with three meals a day as well as advice and support on everything from personal wellbeing to assistance with benefits.

Another group spent the morning at the YMCA Shelter on Monks Road, cooking and serving lunch for shelter residents and local people in need. The twenty-three bed shelter is open 365 days a year and provides accommodation to some of the most vulnerable people in the city.

Emma Kinna, Executive Development Manager at Lincoln International Business School who volunteered at the Nomad Trust Shelter said: “Everyone’s heard of the Nomad Trust but today has given us a real insight into how it works, why it’s used, who uses it and what we can do to help.”

“Shelters like this rely not only regular donations of food, clothing and items such as toiletries, but also volunteers to help with a range of tasks to ensure that services like this can remain open. Even if people can volunteer an hour of their time, it makes a significant difference to those in need.”

Craig Marsh, Pro-Vice Chancellor and Director of Lincoln International Business School added: “As Head of LIBS I’m really delighted that so many of my professional services staff have participated in the ‘give back’ day today with YMCA Lincolnshire, in their first ‘corporate’ event of this kind.

“The University is always looking to support our local community, and there is no better place for us to do that than with the great work of the YMCA. It’s also allowed our staff to engage in a wide variety of events according to their interests and abilities, and I’m quite sure we’ll want to repeat the experience soon.”