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Bupa's changing room challenge
1 September 2003
More than 40 elderly residents at St Mungo's Harrow Road homeless hostel have a new book, CD and video library and two renovated social rooms thanks to Bupa's corporate communications team.
The team took on the role of 'Handy Andy' and his colleagues by spending a day- and-a-half cleaning and redecorating at St Mungo's Homeless accommodation in West London which provides food, shelter and support for elderly homeless people. Several hundred books, CDs and videos were donated by staff from Bupa's head office.
Dan Dillon, manager at St Mungo's said: "In a matter of hours, the Bupa team turned our tired and dull common rooms into comfortable and colourful lounges where our residents can relax and enjoy reading and listening to music. The rooms were in need of redecoration and the transformation was amazing."
The project was initiated by Bupa's Community Connections programme which involves the company and its employees in a wide range of projects to help charities and good causes. The main objective of the Community Connections unit is to develop volunteering schemes in the 300 localities across the UK in which Bupa works.
Monica Owen, Bupa's Community Connections manager said: "Bupa supports several facilities for homeless people around the UK. This was an opportunity for the communications team to work together and help transform the social rooms at St Mungo's Harrow Road project. It was great teamwork and the residents now have an extensive selection of books, CDs and videos donated by Bupa people."
Other recent Community Connections projects have involved Bupa people listening to children read in primary schools across the UK to help improve literacy, mentoring head teachers and helping children learn about how the body works in a mobile classroom which, this year, will provide health education to 20,000 young people in the north west of England.
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