Store staff help community by volunteering

A team from the stores in Portfield and Bognor Regis helped to renovate a house for Stonepillow, while staff from the Chichester store supported Chichester Development Trust at Graylingwell Park.

Robin Sheath, manager at the North Street store, said: “Volunteering can make a profound difference to the communities in which we live, work and play.”

Paul Gregory, the Portfield store manager, added: “We believe that lots of small actions from lots of people can collectively have a huge impact.

Make it Matter is part of the recently-launched Spend it Well campaign, which is about inspiring store staff and customers to make every moment special by focusing on the experiences, people and things that really matter in life.

Geoffrey Willis, Stonepillow chief executive, said: “Stonepillow offers shelter, information and support to homeless and vulnerable individuals across West Sussex.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be part of the Marks and Spencer Spark Something Good project and look forward to welcoming the volunteers to transform one of our properties in Bognor Regis.

“It is vitally important that we provide a safe, positive and uplifting environment for our clients to enable them to make positive changes in their lives.”

Chichester Development Trust said M&S Chichester had ‘sparked something good’ at Graylingwell Park.

Volunteers spent two days and £500 sprucing up the community building and surroundings, painted and stained the building and fences, cleaned, weeded and replanted the flower troughs, and made an outdoor mud kitchen for Little Learners Pre-school.

Clare de Bath, trust director thanked the team for their manpower and money provided to deliver the initiative.