I just wanted to pass on my thanks for giving me VTO this week. The difference we’ve been able to make in just a couple of days has been immense. The projects I’ve personally been involved in are:

- Home renovation – repair, replastering and decorating a living room and hallway of a ‘vulnerable’ family (referred to us by social service)

- Painting and decorating of classrooms and corridors of a school in Bracknell

Over the next couple of days I’ll be working on another home renovation, garden clearance, grounds clearance and maintenance at another school in Bracknell. In total there are 40 volunteers working on similar projects across the town.

The home renovations are particularly rewarding as the people we are working have very little, often have very difficult personal/family circumstances and are living in extremely challenging conditions (complete eye opener as to the levels of poverty in a supposedly affluent area).

The week is culminating in a meal and concert – free to the people we’ve been helping this week  - with the aim of offering further emotional and practical support if it’s needed.

Thanks again for letting me have the time off; the other volunteers I’m working with are all completely sold on the Salesforce Foundation and in awe that this should be embedded so deeply in the company’s ethos.