Giving Back

Hello and welcome back! The feedback from our previous newsletter, 'Touchpoints', featuring exclusive insights from our Senior Designer Nina-May Gill , has been overwhelmingly positive. If you haven’t had the chance to read it yet, be sure to take a look once you’ve finished here!

This month, we’re changing things up a bit. While our past editions have explored key topics such as nurturing client relationships and the intricacies of project design, this time we’re shifting the focus to something that resonates deeply with our team: Giving Back.

Supporting our community has always been an integral part of our culture. Over the years we’ve forged some amazing partnerships with a range of impactful organisations. From partnering with a children's hospice charity to supporting the talent of the future through our student placement scheme, our commitment to meaningful partnerships continues to grow.

So, where better to start than with our longest standing charitable partner, Demelza.

Demelza Charity holds a very special place in our hearts. Their mission is to provide critical care and support to children and young people with serious or life-limiting conditions, along with their families, across Kent, South East London, and East Sussex. From the moment of diagnosis and for as long as they’re needed, Demelza is there every step of the way.

Our journey together began back in 2017 when we helped deliver a pro-bono expansion to their Eltham Hospice. We donned our hi-vis and hard hats and came together as part of a huge team effort to create a new space with a lasting impact. Think real-life DIY SOS — just without Nick Knowles!

Since then, our relationship with Demelza has continued to grow. We now proudly recognise them as our lead Charity Partner, and year after year, we support them through various fundraising campaigns. These have included everything from charity balls and half marathons, to an epic three-day Paris-to-Kent bike ride.

Beyond fundraising, we’re always exploring innovative ways to support Demelza through our work. Over the past year, we’ve donated furniture and office equipment, which has either been resold to raise funds or used directly by the charity. A standout example of this came earlier this year when we were able to donate a pool table from a client’s office that would have otherwise gone to landfill.

Katie Fielder from Demelza followed up to share the impact of our donation...

Seeing the tangible difference our actions make for the children and their families inspires us to keep going. And we’re not stopping there. Next year, we’re introducing Charity Days: dedicated days for our employees, working in groups, to support Demelza in practical ways, such as volunteering in their charity shops.

We’re so proud to support Demelza and their incredible mission. If you’d like to learn more about the charity or find out how you can help, visit their website below.

https://www.demelza.org.uk/

So, if you keep up to date with our social media, you may know that we have a resident Student in our ranks! For the last 9 years, Workplace Creations have taken on a student from 英国诺丁汉特伦特大学 – more specifically from the Interior Architecture & Design course – for a hands on experience of the D&B industry for one year.

Our current student Ethan Couldridge has been with us for almost six months now, and we asked him to share his experience so far:

Our affinity with NTU has produced many talented designers: soaking up valuable real-world experience and not only taking their skills back to the lecture theatre, but also back to Workplace Creations too! Our Interior Designer, Maisie Cox , is a shining example. She joined us for her placement year in 2019, and after graduating with First Class Honours, she’s now back with the team, building an impressive portfolio of projects.

The relationship that we have developed over the years allows a great institution like NTU to build a strong network within the industry, and gives aspiring designers like Maisie & Ethan valuable experience and a head start in their career. To get an insight into what it's like from the university's side, we spoke to Kelly Varney-Gee , Placement Advisor for the School of Architecture, Design and the Built Environment (ADBE) .

Founded in 1978, Children's SCRAP Project aims to reduce waste and landfill while creating social good. Their work focuses on protecting the environment and supporting vulnerable communities through a model that embodies the principles of the circular economy. Over the decades, they have become a leader in grassroots, practical solutions to combat waste.

The organisation collects waste materials such as paper, cloth, and stationery from hundreds of donors and redistributes them to 600 member groups, including schools, hospitals, and community centres. These groups, in turn, support over 50,000 people annually, providing materials for art therapy, education, and creative activities. By diverting waste from landfills and promoting well-being, the project creates a closed loop of reuse and repurposing to benefit both the environment and society.

Over the past two years we've collected and donated a whole gamut of design and build materials, from fabric swatches and carpet tiles to ceramics and wooden offcuts. This year will mark our fourth donation making the best use of our surplus samples.

To arrange a donation of materials to the Children's SCRAP Project you can find contact details through their website: https://childrensscrap.co.uk/

We’re especially excited to introduce our newest collaboration. Established in 1982, The Manna Society is a local charity that plays an essential role in supporting those experiencing homelessness in the London Bridge area.

Open 7 days a week, 51 weeks a year, Manna supports around 100 individuals daily, with vital services including breakfast and lunch, shower and washing facilities, as well as housing and welfare guidance, medical care, computer access, and clothing.

That's why this year, we're gathering donations of essential items such as food, clothing, and toiletries to support their work. With over 4,100 people recorded as sleeping rough in London between January and March 2024 – a 33% rise compared to last year – homelessness has reached alarming levels.

Our goal is to maximise support to our local community during this challenging time. So, from now until Christmas, we’re running an employee donation drive and Workplace Creations will match every contribution made by our team, doubling the impact.

If you'd like to support the Manna Society, visit their website to learn more about donations and volunteer opportunities, or simply help spread the word.

https://www.mannasociety.org.uk/

So that's a wrap for this edition, we'll be seeing you one more time before we log off for Christmas. Until then, we hope hope you've enjoyed getting an insight into a different side of Workplace Creations.

If you want any more information on any of the organisations discussed today, feel free to reach out and we'd be happy to help!

See you next time!