It’s important to us that delivering our services should not harm the planet. We also want to have a positive impact on the local community. All members of staff are allocated a minimum of five days a year to volunteer in community projects with local charities.
Burford School - Burford, October 2024
We were happy to be given a chance to return to Burford School to help with their mock interviews again this year.
Meeting the students and speaking about their range of ambitions and ideas around future careers is a great experience for us and we hope helps them when considering their choices and goals.
Restore - Oxford, September 2024
With autumn starting, it was time to help with some end of season jobs in the gardens at Restore.
The garden provides a quite place for people who need a space to relax and engage in mindful tasks, or to simply sit quietly and enjoy being surrounded by nature, in an otherwise busy corner of the city. We always enjoy our time there and are proud to be able to help make a space everyone can enjoy.
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The Pump House Project - Faringdon, September 2024
The Pump House Project is a local initiative which provides a space for use by a huge cross-section of the community, from parkour to a choir for those living with dementia!
Although we (luckily) weren't asked to be involved in either, we did help to brighten up the space by sanding and repainting to make the space feel clean and welcoming.
TWIGS Community Gardens - Swindon, August 2024
As the weather improved, it was time to get outside and so a team visited the TWIGS gardens in Swindon. The Recovery Tree Charity provides a quiet space for people to work on their mental health by building new skills and simply by being in nature.
We were tasked with building a new raised bed for planting, it was hard work but fun and we were very pleased with the end result!
Phoenix Enterprises - Swindon, July 2024
After a busy few months we were glad to be able to get out and spend a day with the Phoenix Enterprises team. They’ve got some large projects on at the moment but many hands make light work and so we were happy to help.
This year Phoenix has been named as the Swindon Town Supporters’ Club charity of the year so we were also lucky enough to be there on the day the publicity shots were being taken which caused quite a buzz!
Burford School - Burford, February 2024
We were excited to be invited back to Burford School for their careers day, a chance for their year 8 students to find out about various roles and sectors with a view to informing their future choices.
As with the mock interviews, we were struck by the ambition and maturity of the students and we wish them all well, whatever career they may choose.
Sustainable Shrivenham - Shrivenham, February 2024
A small team of volunteers visited the Sustainable Shrivenham Hub to give their craft room a much needed makeover. The Hub provides a community space aimed at facilitating and educating people so that they can live a more sustainable life.
We changed the industrial metal shelving for some more modern units and laid carpet tiles to make the space more cosy. The Hub coordinators were very grateful for our efforts and we think it looks great!
Phoenix Enterprises - Swindon, December 2023
We all had such a lovely day with Phoenix Enterprises in November that we were delighted to be invited back for another day.
It was all hands on deck for a large order that needed to be sent out but with the Christmas songs playing and everyone working together it made for a really festive atmosphere!
Pennyhooks Farm Trust - Watchfield, November 2023
Pennyhooks Farm is a working farm which provides valuable life experiences for students on the autistic spectrum and whose work is largely funded by their own fundraising efforts. Their Christmas Fayre is an important event in their calendar and so we were glad to be able to help prepare the site for that. We also enjoyed spending some time with the goats, donkeys and more.
Phoenix Enterprises - Swindon, November 2023
Phoenix Enterprises works with vulnerable adults with mental health issues, physical disabilities and learning difficulties, giving them a chance to build up confidence and skills by participating in the workplace.
We were each given a job to do alongside the regular team members, swapping around as they did. Everyone was very patient with us and made us feel really welcome!
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Burford School - Burford, October 2023
We were excited to be approached by Burford School with an opportunity to help conduct their Year 11 and Sixth Form mock interviews. From a business perspective, we realise the importance of helping the next generation of the workforce but on a personal level, we were delighted to be able to help young people on their path to achieve their full potential.
National Animal Welfare Trust - Great Shefford, October 2023
NAWT is a rescue and rehoming charity with a centre near the Lambourne Downs which is currently home to a wide range of animals from kittens to alpacas. As well as helping to feed the animals, our tasks for the day were to clean the stables, jet wash pathways and reorganise the store where surplus food is kept. We had a really fun day and it was very satisfying to see the results of all our hard work!
Pinkhill Reserve - Farmoor, September 2023
A team of three took on the elements to spend some time at Pinkhill Nature Reserve, a managed floodplain project, focused on richness of biodiversity. Unfortunately the weather was so bad that we only managed to spend half the day working on the site but in that time we were still able to make good progress on clearing some of the reeds and vegetation around the water’s edge and improving access to the bird hides.
Restore - Oxford, July and August 2023
As the good weather continued, we were able to spend more time at the Manzil Way site helping in the grounds and readying the gardens for Autumn. Site accessibility is important, so some time was spent clearing paths and walkways but we were also reinforcing the willow tepee which was more difficult than it looks!
Restore - Oxford, May 2023
With the return of the nice weather we were able to go back to Manzil Way and Restore to help with the outdoor jobs we weren't able to do in April. It was a lovely day to be outside and those windows look pretty smart now, even if we do say so ourselves!
Restore - Oxford, April 2023
After a long winter it was time to get back outside and our friends at Restore had just the job for us, giving some TLC to the windows at the Manzil Way Centre. Unfortunately the weather wasn't on our side but we were able to turn our hands instead to some interior decorating and so the day ended with a job well done!
Restore - Oxford, April 2022
While embracing the new normal and with the weather starting to improve, we were able to get out and visit mental health charity Restore in Oxford to help with some jobs in the garden ready for spring. It was nice to be out in the fresh air and to be involved in work which will benefit the gardens throughout the coming year. We also managed to fit in a visit to the cafe which is a lovely place to relax and enjoy the view!
Wilts and Berks Canal Trust - Shrivenham, July 2021
With restrictions eased we’re able to get back out to help our friends at the WBCT and four of us had a day at the canal clearing a stretch of path and helping with investigations into the depth of the canal at Steppingstone Lane Bridge. Of course that meant pumping out a section of the canal so we all got a bit wet and muddy but the sun was out and we all dried off quickly!
Wilts and Berks Canal Trust - July 2020
Although we were unable to help in person this time due to the pandemic, we were able to make a donation to help the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust to purchase a flail mower which is now being used to maintain the towpaths of the canal near to our Watchfield office.
Alan Norris, the local work-party organiser, said "This machine will enable us to improve access along the canal and save much time which our small volunteer team can then use to improve and extend the facilities around the Canal Park and along the canal".
We hope to be able to join them on a work party day later in the year to test it out ourselves! Photo by Ian Skerry.
Yellow Submarine - April 2020
Unfortunately the Covid-19 outbreak meant we had to cancel our volunteering plans this Spring but we were still able to help our friends at Yellow Submarine thanks to the Royal Warrant Holders Association Charity Fund.
As a holder of a Royal Warrant, Montala is able to apply for a grant on behalf of a charity we have links with and we were successful in our application for funds to help Yellow Submarine to continue supporting their service users through the pandemic. With their hubs closed they needed to find ways to engage with their clients remotely and thanks to the funds they received they were able to purchase materials and equipment to allow them to do this.
Yellow Submarine - Witney, February 2020
We went back to Yellow Submarine for a half term holiday hub day. The theme of the day was summer and winter so we were thinking about the seasons and activities we like to do in the sunshine, a great way to brighten up a February day. Luckily, between playing team games, going for a swim and building sandcastles there was just enough time to eat the cupcakes we decorated ourselves.
Oak & Furrows Wildlife Rescue Centre - Cricklade, January 2020
Four of us returned to Oak and Furrows to help feed the young hedgehogs which are still being looked after until the weather warms up and they are big enough to be released into the wild. We also cleaned and disinfected the bird of prey aviaries ready for the next patients, luckily they were empty at the time as the buzzard which had been in for treatment was released that morning.
Oak & Furrows Wildlife Rescue Centre - Cricklade, December 2019
A group of us went to Oak and Furrows, a very busy local wildlife rescue charity, where a hot August has resulted in the centre being at full capacity with hedgehogs too small to hibernate. We were charged with making their beds and serving their dinner but we also got a chance to help some of the other birds and animals that are currently being looked after until they are well enough to be released back into the wild.
Wilts and Berks Canal Trust - Shrivenham, November 2019
A group went out to work with the Wilts and Berks Canal Trust to help clear a section of the canal bank in Shrivenham. WBCT are working to restore the canal to improve the habitat for wildlife and to make a community space for local residents to enjoy. It was a lovely day to be outside and we made a real difference, clearing and burning piles of vegetation from the canal side.
Yellow Submarine - Witney, October 2019
Another lovely day spent with Yellow Submarine at their Witney hub for some Halloween activities. After a hard day treasure hunting, pumpkin carving and slime making we all tucked into some creepy treats and a glass of witches brew.
Flo’s in the Park - Oxford, September 2019
We tidied up the garden around the community building we'd previously helped to decorate. The centre is now a thriving hub in the heart of the community.
Restore - Oxford, August 2019
We sent a team to help prepare for the Elder Stubbs Festival, run by local mental health charity, Restore. It was a lovely place to spend a sunny day and the volunteer coordinators were delighted with all our hard work.
Yellow Submarine - Witney and Oxford, August 2019
Four of us went to work at a Yellow Submarine holiday club - an Oxfordshire based charity organising days out for people with autism and learning difficulties.
Split across two sites in Witney and Oxford, we barbecued, swam and crafted our way through the day - it was clear how much the children love their time with Yellow Submarine.
Flo’s - The Place in the Park - Oxford, July 2019
A team of four went to Florence Park in Oxford to help decorate a building for use by local community groups. After a hard day’s work with brushes and rollers, a new lease of life was given to the former County Council building and Flo's are now able to offer a great space for local clubs and groups to meet.
