Celebrating Community Engagement and Charity Initiatives
Background
In 2025, Colas colleagues across the UK dedicated time, skills and donations to support local communities, schools, charities and environmental projects. This case study summarises the collective impact of staff volunteering and fundraising/donations, aligned to Colas’ social value commitments and business values.
Challenge
Communities face increasing pressure on local services and charities. The challenge was to mobilise diverse teams, coordinate meaningful volunteering opportunities, and ensure donations created measurable, transparent impact across regions.
Objectives
Enable employees to contribute skills-based and team volunteering that meets local needs.
Provide clear, safe and inclusive pathways to volunteer (individual and team days).
Support fundraising donations.
Track hours, beneficiaries and social value to evidence outcomes for stakeholders.
Approach
Colas coordinated volunteering through regional social value leads and site managers, partnering with local charities, schools and environmental groups. Activities included community refurbishment days, , food bank drives for the homeless, and animal charities.
Outcomes
Total Volunteering Hours: 276
Number of Volunteers: 20+
Individual Volunteering Days: approx. 40 days
Total Donations, staff only: £1480.81
Beneficiaries Reached: approx. 17
Highlights included: 186 hours of staff volunteering across community projects and £1480.81 raised for a variety of charities including The Lifehouse Homeless Charity, MacMillan Cancer, British Heart Foundation, Cancer Research UK, local food banks, alongside activities such as refurbishment of community facilities, biodiversity enhancements, school mentoring sessions, and successful fundraising campaigns led by regional teams.
Charity & Awareness Initiatives Supported:
Macmillan (Coffee Morning)
Diwali Office Celebration
Breast Cancer Awareness (Wear it Pink)
Help for Heroes
Age UK
Hope Church (Portsmouth Food Bank)
Crisis (Homeless)
Enable Ability
Rainbow Trust Children’s Charity
Royal British Legion
The Roberts Centre
Veterans Poppy Wreath donated by staff
Volunteering Projects
Nanak Woods
In 2019 Colas Grounds Maintenance Team donated one standard tree and assisted the Sikh community with planting 550 trees on Western Road which were donated to them by the Woodland Trust. This was a celebration for the 550th anniversary of Guru Nanak the founder of the Sikh faith. In February 2025 the team attended again where they carried out some litter picking and grass cutting in preparation for their ceremony and plaque unveiling.
St Judes School
Colas Highways team carried out some volunteering works at St Jude’s School in March. This included installation of cycle racks, refreshing the railings and some colourful playground markings for the pupils. They were joined by Cllr Chris Attwell and representatives from the school for a big thank you.
Easter Egg donations for local families
In April Colas staff donated 62 Easter Eggs to The Robert Centre who provides support for Children, families, young people and vulnerable adults across Portsmouth
The Lifehouse homeless charity
Colas staff have been making monthly donations the homeless charity, The Life house since 2024. The Life House is run by a non-profit charity and relies on regular volunteers to help provide hot meals at Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner, as well as food bags. They also help in other ways such as CV writing, hair dressing, footcare, counselling, clothing and many more.
Portsmouth Rotary Association (PRHA garden party volunteering
Two members of staff volunteered at the annual Portsmouth Rotary Housing Association Garden party in August, this included setting out tables and chairs and serving food and drinks. This was also attended by the Lord Mayor and Mayoress.
Supporting homes for the Veteran Community
On Thursday 23rd October 2025 Colas were invited to the unveiling of a Plinth by the Lord Mayor of Portsmouth at Fitzpatrick Court in Paulsgrove. (The Veterans Housing). Colas donated paving slabs and a bench for a seating area, and they transformed the green outside the houses making a beautiful wellbeing space to be used by the Veteran residents. The Lord Mayor of Portsmouth and the Chief Executive from Haig Housing, Mr Tim Stockings unveiled the Granite stone Plinth, thanking Colas for their contribution. Colas staff also contributed to a wreath.
Volunteering for Stop Domestic Abuse Charity
A team of Colas operatives from the Landscaping Team voluntarily assisted with removing some old furniture for the charity ‘ Stop Domestic Abuse’ Charity.
The Lantern Provision- Road Safety
As part of Road Safety week 2025 Colas Portsmouth were pleased to attend a meeting on 18th November with Solent Academies Trust at their SEN school, The Mary Rose Academy-The Lantern Provision. Working in collaboration with Alfie Wake from Buko, Dave Booth and Karen Brogan met at the school to discuss plans and designs on a new project to provide the school playground area with some Educational line painting to help teach the children about the road safety. The line painting will transform the school playground into an interactive learning environment with markings for road safety along with donated traffic signs and traffic cones from Buko.