# Whitbread launches £1 million volunteering programme

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2005/03/23/whitbread-launches-1-million-volunteering-programme/
- Published: 2005-03-23T00:00:00+00:00
- Author: Howard Lake

Hospitality company Whitbread PLC has launched a £1 million volunteering programme
with environmental charity Groundwork to encourage life-long volunteering.
The launch
of Whitbread ActionUK comes as the company welcomes the Russell Commission’s consultation
into life-long volunteering. The employer of 40,000 people agrees that financial
incentives alone will not encourage life-long volunteering in the long-term and 
it welcomes the need to reinforce financial support with structured mentoring and
support mechanisms to help volunteers develop the skills and confidence to participate
in and run community projects.

The programme will offer training and support for volunteers, both young and old,
wanting to improve their neighbourhoods and get involved in projects to make them
better places to live. It will also actively support projects already in place.

The Big Lottery Fund has awarded the programme £1 milllion, one of its largest grants
to date.

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Piers Blake, head of corporate responsibility at Whitbread, explained: “Whitbread’s
experience of volunteering over the last 25 years has demonstrated that with direction
and grants people can turn their ideas into well managed, life changing and enriching
programmes. Whitbread ActionUK, which is recognised as a pioneering initiative by
the Big Lottery Fund, will help people to fulfil their volunteering ambitions in
a more focussed and direct manner.”

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