Team members from The Cambridge took part in two volunteering days, stepping away from their day-to-day roles to support both community engagement activity and customer insight work at Emmaus’s Landbeach site and social enterprise shops.
During the first volunteering day, Cambridge Building Society team members supported preparations for Emmaus Cambridge’s Annual General Meeting and annual Thank You BBQ.
The team helped transform the orchard into a community space, setting up activities and games including chess, Jenga, swingball, Connect Four and egg-and-spoon races, helping to create a welcoming environment for companions and visitors.
A second team of volunteers returned the following day to support Emmaus’s annual customer survey programme. They conducted face-to-face surveys with visitors to the charity’s social enterprise shops, gathering feedback on customer experience, perceptions and shopping behaviour.
Simon Farr, PR & Community Manager at The Cambridge, said:
“It was a privilege to spend time with Emmaus and to speak with their customers to help the charity better understand their customers’ thoughts about their Landbeach shop. The feedback will enable the charity to grow so it can continue to deliver vital support for people in need and set a pathway out of homelessness for the companions who live and work on site.
“Our partnership with Emmaus reflects what The Cambridge’s Making The Difference programme is all about – using our team’s skills and resources to support organisations to create real social impact across our communities and help people have a home.”
The insights will help Emmaus better understand its customers and inform future improvements to its retail operations, which help fund its work supporting people affected by homelessness.
Joan Kearns, Chief Operations Officer at Emmaus Cambridge said:
“Corporate volunteers make a significant difference to our work. Their support allows us to complete projects more quickly from preparing community spaces to engaging with visitors.
“It also gives companions valuable opportunities for social interaction, helping build confidence and connection. Survey work is important as it helps us understand how people perceive our shops and that we can respond to feedback and improve the experience.”
Emmaus provides a home, work opportunities, training and therapeutic support to people who have experienced homelessness, offering a stable community environment where individuals can rebuild their lives.
To learn more about Emmaus Cambridge and its work with people affected by homelessness, visit emmaus.org.uk
