Novus Blog

As a business, we’ve always taken pride in giving back. Building long term relationships with the communities in which we operate is a key element to our success, and we are proud to be making a positive difference across Great Britain.

To encourage community engagement throughout Novus, all colleagues have access to eight hours of volunteering time within work hours to support causes and projects close to their hearts.

Up and down Great Britain, our incredible colleagues go out of their way to help others, both during and outside of working hours – whether they’re volunteer with a local organisation, helping to improve communal outdoor spaces, or are collecting donations for those in need.

Here are just a handful of examples of what our team have been getting up to!

Reducing Poverty & Tackling Homelessness

Through our Build Back Better initiative we run an annual Food Bank Appeal which many of our colleagues enthusiastically support. Through food and financial donations to food banks and homeless shelters, we’re helping to ease the burden for those struggling to access food. Sadly, due to the current cost of living crisis, now more than ever those struggling in our communities need our support.

Getting hands on to tackle homelessness, back in April, a number of our team in the North East took a morning out to volunteer at The Archer Project in Sheffield, helping to serve breakfast to those in need. The charity assists homeless people in achieving a better life, giving them access to health support, food, showers, laundry facilities and a range of activities.

In the North West, members of our team have been raising awareness of homelessness in Manchester by taking part in this year’s Big Sleep Out. The event raised money for Cornerstone, a charity that provides support and secure/safe accommodation for people who are homeless. The team raised a fantastic £1,670 for the charity!

Brightening Outdoor Spaces

Since the Covid-19 pandemic we have dramatically reduced our carbon footprint through working smarter and more efficiently. Throughout our projects we’re continuing this progress by working with local communities to protect our environment and encourage the positive use of outdoor spaces.

1. In the Midlands, several of our team spent time supporting Walsall Housing Group in improving communal garden areas at two high-rise blocks in Walsall.
2. Whilst completing full renovation and extension works at Crawshaw Court care home in Liverpool, our team, with the help of a resident, decided to give the garden some TLC. They tidied up the area and added plants to give the garden some colour for all to enjoy.
3. Our Warrington team supported the Cornerstone Day Centre in Manchester by donating plants and tools to help redecorate the hostel’s community garden. Site Manager Paul Worrall, kindly took staff from the charity to a local garden shop, where he purchased gardening tools and shrubs for them to plant.
4. Our Healthcare team have helped to create a landscaped area for NHS staff and patients at North Manchester General Hospital. The area was landscaped with gravel and paving to make it more accessible, with benches and planters then installed to provide a better environment for staff and patients to use.
5. Our Burton office colleagues spent time volunteering their gardening and painting services at the Albrighton Trust Moat and Gardens in Wolverhampton – a charity which offers educational and recreational activities for people disadvantaged by disability, special needs, or illness. The team were set tasks to remove a large laurel bush from around the picnic area and paint the support bars around the fishing moat.
6. Also at the Albrighton Trust, our new apprentice cohort spent the final day of their residential helping complete tasks to maintain the charity’s woodwork and successfully build tool storage, bin upgrades and bird boxes.
7. In Wrexham, Site Manager Nick Rogers helped residents transform a communal garden into a vegetable patch for all to enjoy.
8. Volunteers Kevin Rhone, Dave Norton, Joe Phillips and Martin Hurley – along with other companies and locals – came together to help transform a patch of wasteland in Stoke-on-Trent into a community centre and open garden for the BBC’s DIY SOS’ ‘Big Build’. The newly built community centre allows locals, old and young, to share knowledge and experiences, as well as allowing them to grow their own vegetables.

Our Sports Superstars

Several colleagues give up their time to support local sports clubs to help encourage healthy and active lifestyles!

1. Operations Manager Andy Fisher volunteers at ‘The Inclusive Hub’, a community boxing club that caters for a wide range of abilities and ages.
2. Head of Social Value and Client/Customer Service Kevin Rhone gave up his time to Marshall for his son’s school’s sponsored walk.
3. Contracts Manager Mark Emery kindly volunteers as a coach for Kidsgrove Football Club’s Youth Team, helping organise training sessions and matches.

Improving Interiors

It isn’t just outdoor areas we look to improve. As a business, we harness our trade skills to create better and brighter indoor spaces for charities and community groups to enjoy.

1. Members of our Interiors team recently volunteered their time and materials to complete the redecoration of a veteran’s support centre in Hanley, Stoke-on-Trent. The centre is run for veterans by veterans, with the aim of proving support for future employment and wellbeing.
2. Our North West team kindly donated their time and resources to help redecorate a lounge for Connexus, Ludlow Foyer. Ludlow Foyer provides accommodation for young vulnerable people aged 16-25 who may be at risk of homelessness.
3. Back at The Archer Project in Sheffield, our team volunteered to redecorate the charity’s premises, helping to create a more welcoming environment for those in need.
4. In London, our team kindly helped to refurbish a kitchen for the High Hill Community Centre, which runs a baby bank to provide support for families across the area.
5. Our Liverpool team refurbished a main hall space for Greenbank College, which caters for students with special education needs and disabilities. While working on the project, our operatives learned some basic sign language from the teachers to help in their communication with students.

Getting Active to Raise Money

We’re extremely proud of our colleagues who take on challenges to raise funds for great causes!

1. Back in May, Project Manager Phill Dunning ran the Manchester 10km to help raise £850 for The Christie Charity. Supporting the Christie NHS Foundation Trust, the charity provides cancer patients with enhanced services over and above what the NHS funds.
2. In June, Mick Green, a Painter & Decorator from our Health & Education team, took part in a “Walk to d’feet MND”alongside his friends and family. The sponsored walk raised money for the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association.
3. Helping to raise money for Ukrainian refugees via charity CareUkraine, Site Manager Ian Whitwell completed a 23-mile walk alongside family members and friends. The walk took place in North Wales, taking Ian from Prestatyn to Mold, with a fantastic £1,550 being raised.

These are just a taster of the great causes our colleagues are getting involved with in and out of work hours. Want to know more about our community actions? Take a look at our Responsible Business Report for further information.