Our World | Giving back on a global scale

We may be spread across multiple countries and continents, but giving back brings us together. We asked two keen RS volunteers to share their experiences of volunteering in their hometowns.

Divided by 1800km but connected by care, we sat down with Bonnie Dunion and Anna Cudny to discuss how they have turned their passion for volunteering into practical – and much-needed – support in their local communities.

“It all starts with finding something you’re passionate about and feel you can help with,” says Bonnie, Project Owner for Help & Support, based in Corby, UK.?

“I couldn’t agree more,” adds Anna, Office Manager in Warsaw, Poland. “For me it started at the biggest children’s hospital here in Warsaw. It’s very personal to me as they looked after my daughter when she was five. It was a horrible place then – there were no windows and it was dark. So, to give back to this place that did so much for my daughter, my team helped paint a corridor in the psychiatric ward to make it lighter and brighter.”

It hasn’t all been straightforward though, as Anna and the team ran out of paint and money before they managed to finish. That didn’t stop her, as she says: “I raised the money to buy the extra paint from local businesses and RS. I’m quite stubborn, once I’ve started something I want to finish it.

“We’re going back to the hospital next week. This time we’ve been sponsored by Dulux and had templates made by local graphic artists. There’s 50 of us going – a much bigger team.? We’re going to transform that corridor into a fun and special space – much nicer for the children and families.”

Dancing shoes do good

Bonnie's passion started when she spotted an opportunity to help an underrepresented group within her town over a decade ago.?

“Both my mum and stepdad have spent the majority of their careers working in care, specifically with people who have Prader-Willi Syndrome,” she explains. “So I grew up in a home where disability was something we talked about regularly. It frustrates me that people are often treated differently just because they have a disability, when actually, sometimes, they just need a little extra support.”

Bonnie decided to approach the local nightclub she was working in about organising a monthly disability disco.?

“I wanted to provide a real night out and something to look forward to every month for local people living with disabilities. We’ve always tried to make sure it’s as close to a real nightclub experience as possible, with a safe environment to socialise, dance, have a drink if they wish and most importantly have fun.”

Ten years later, that event still happens monthly. “The bar staff, DJ and security often tell me that it’s their favourite club night. They have the best time – it’s the highlight of my month too – I have made so many fantastic friends and love seeing how much enjoyment the discos bring to those who attend.”

Bonnie is also an ambassador for Young Enterprise UK , a charity that’s close to home, and to heart. She spends time volunteering at Corby Business Academy , supporting the special educational needs (SEN) class to create and run their own student business. Backed by RS, Bonnie helps the class to develop everyday skills – like independence, teamwork and money management – by supporting them to create their own business.

“They decide what they want to create, how they’ll market it and the price – I’m just there to support them. It is so rewarding to see their hard work pay off and our classes have won multiple awards at both a regional and national level. We also invite them into RS to sell their products to colleagues each year.”

Opportunities for everyone

At RS we believe that giving back to our communities is not just an option, but a necessity. We offer two paid volunteer days to every employee annually because we believe in doing the right thing to make a tangible difference to the lives of others.

Volunteering fosters a sense of purpose, strengthens community ties, and enriches personal growth, reminding us that true success lies in the impact we make on the world around us. Our goal is for at least 50% of our employees to use at least one of their volunteering days by 2030.

Why should you volunteer? We’ll let Anna and Bonnie answer that one…

Anna says: “RS provides an incredible opportunity and full support for you to give back to causes that are important to you. You get to choose where you spend your volunteer days. I like to bring up volunteering as part of the onboarding process. That way, new people know from day one that RS will support you to give back to causes that are important to you.”

Bonnie adds: “Don’t take for granted the positive difference you’re making to people’s lives in the process. No matter how small the act of volunteering, whether it’s for an hour or a day, when you multiply it by the number of employees we have across RS Group, we can have a big impact.”