Deutsche Asset & Wealth Management in Liverpool has teamed up with homeless charity, the Whitechapel Centre, to provide a volunteering experience with a difference.
Every Tuesday morning two members of staff from the wealth management team swap their offices in the Royal Liver Building for a small kitchen in a homeless centre. They arrive at 7.30am and prepare breakfast for people who have spent the night sleeping rough or in the “sit-up”, an overnight facility to prevent rough sleeping.
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| Deutsche Bank's Chris Leyland serving breakfast |
Support workers are also available to provide help to find suitable accommodation and benefits advice to ensure no new rough sleeper spends a second night out on the streets. After breakfast people are able to have a shower and wash clothes before taking part in a range of daily sessions in the centre. Activities include gardening, IT, creative writing, drama and music.
Rachel Gradden, Relationship Manager at Deutsche Asset and Wealth Management, has recruited a team of 12 volunteers from her colleagues in the Liverpool office. She said, “Deutsche Bank supports a regional volunteering programme as part of our Corporate Social Responsibility commitment in the UK and we are delighted to volunteer at the Whitechapel Centre. We never know how many people will walk through the door at 8am, sometimes it is as few as 5 but other mornings we’ve catered for 27. Being able to see firsthand the difference that we can make is very fulfilling.”
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| Sam Myers from Deutsche Bank washing dishes |
The Whitechapel Centre in Liverpool works with people who are sleeping rough, living in hostels or struggling to manage their accommodation. We are committed to helping people find and maintain a home and learn the life skills essential for independent living.
Volunteers are vital to ensure the smooth running of the organisation. Volunteer Manager, Pauline Baysan, explains more “We welcome volunteers from all walks of life, including ex-clients, students, people who are retired and from the corporate sector. All volunteers receive appropriate training and there is a wide range of roles and flexible timings. Positions are based either in the centre or our offices and include preparing breakfast, accompanying clients on visits, supporting our outreach team, fundraising and marketing, administration, welfare rights advice and session tutoring."
For a full volunteer pack please email volunteer@whitechapelcentre.co.uk or call 0151 207 7617 http://www.whitechapelcentre.co.uk
