Our Communities
Giving back and helping others
Our Communities is the name for corporate social responsibility at NHBC and it is how we support the communities in which we operate and where our colleagues live, working with charity partners who are aligned with our values.
What we do
We deliver the aims of our Communities through a combination of activities and events, working with and fundraising for our charity partners, matched funding for money raised by our people for their own local causes and volunteering.
Our aims
Sharing our skills and knowledge
Inclusivity and support for minority groups
A local and nationwide reach
Our charity partners
Our head office is in Milton Keynes and we are pleased to work with some great local organisations including Action4Youth and Worktree who both support young people. The Milton Keynes Food Bank, has our continued support, which is needed more than ever during these challenging economic times, and we also work with the Milton Keynes Community Foundation, which provides small grants on our behalf to local projects related to education, young people, and issues of deprivation.
Crisis is our national charity partner and we have been supporting their important work to end homelessness since 2018 through fundraising, education, sponsorship and volunteering.
Crisis
Crisis is a UK national charity formed in 1967 as an urgent response to the growing homelessness crisis. Since then they have helped tens of thousands of people out of homelessness and campaigned for change. Working directly with thousands of people experiencing homelessness every year, Crisis provides vital help so that people can rebuild their lives and are supported out of homelessness for good.
Find out more
Worktree
Worktree is an employability education charity with roots deep in MK. As a community of 3,000 volunteers, they are like the trunk of a tree, the solid foundation that enables young people to experience, dream and blossom. They facilitate conversations with working people so that students can talk openly to them about what they do, find out how they got there, understand and potentially imagine themselves in that role.
Find out more
Action 4 Youth
Action 4 Youth has been encouraging, motivating and supporting clubs, groups and organisations for young people throughout Buckinghamshire for over 70 years. They run the highly successful Caldecotte Xperience providing adventure and outdoor education for the region.
Find out more
MK Community Foundation
MK Community Foundation is a leading grant-making charity sending funding where it's needed most in Milton Keynes. With so many vulnerable, isolated, and disadvantaged people in Milton Keynes they’re proud to be leading the way in supporting community projects and charitable activities to help create a fairer more connected community.
Find out more
MK Food Bank
MK Food Bank has supported the local community with emergency food parcels since 2004. Relying solely on donations of food and money from the local community, schools, churches and corporate sponsors. The cost-of-living crisis is affecting more and more people on our doorstep right now. In 2022 so far MK Food Bank has given out 15,000 emergency food parcels. This is 30% more than this time last year and rising all the time.
Find out moreMatched funding
As well as fundraising for our charity partners, we support colleagues fundraising for the charities that matter most to them, through our matched funding scheme. We match fund individuals and teams of 4 or more NHBC people.
Volunteering
Volunteering is an important part of how we give back and help our communities. Everyone at NHBC can take up to two days’ paid volunteering leave every year.
Our support in action
ExCo members volunteer for Action4Youth
In July, ExCo members Steve Wood, David Campbell, Paul Hosking, Kim Bromley, Peter Vasey and Craig Pocock volunteered their time at Action4Youth, Caldecotte Experience, where everyone got stuck in to the renovations and refurbishment. The team helped to enhance the water sports centre, which promotes outdoor adventure and education for young people.
Trek26 London 2024
One of NHBC’s Finance Business Partner’s, Charlene Kisaalu completed the Trek26 London 2024, on the 18 May. Charlene walked 26 miles around London in honour of her Mum who has dementia, seeing this event an opportunity to challenge herself while also raising funds for the Alzheimer’s Society.
Three peaks challenge
On the 7 and 8 June 2024 Building inspector Craig Neave completed the three peaks challenge. The first peak was Ben Nevis covered in snow with a temperature of -10 degrees and carrying a wind of 40mph. Through the night took them through a cloudy and very windy Scafell, finishing with what then felt like a walk in the park on Snowdon. Craig was raising money for Norwich City Community Sports Foundation, and with the matched funding from our Communities has raised £640.
Round Norfolk Epic
Claims Investigator, Ian Barnett celebrated turning 60 by taking part in the Round Norfolk Epic event on June 9 2024. Cycling 200 miles in one day Ian commented: "I’m a little saddle sore, and the legs are aching, but generally feeling good considering."
Charity Cycle Ride
Tom Kitchen, Head of Business Support and Improvement, completed the Charity Cycle Ride in Mallorca. Tom achieved 225km of the 312km in April and used the occasion to celebrate and repay the love and support provided by the staff of Rennie Grove Peace Hospice Care to his uncle, aunt and cousins.
Breast Cancer Walk
Breast Cancer Now turned Blenheim pink on Saturday 11 May 2024. Alison Chan, NHBC Insight Manager completed the challenge to walk 20 very pink miles and said this about her experience: "So very grateful to be able to raise funds and then have them matched by NHBC to further support the Breast Cancer Now charity with a total £250 raised."
Snowdon for Help for Heroes
On Saturday, 18 May 2024, James Starr and Andrew Thiemann completed an 18-kilometer trek up Mount Snowdon in collaboration with Help for Heroes. The event aimed to raise essential funds to support the charity's work in aiding veterans. Including match funding from NHBC, the total amount raised was £2,015.
Samanala Valley Hospital in Sri Lanka
"I travelled with my husband and friends to the Samanala Valley Hospital, a community hospital which carries out much needed cataract operations for the local community. Surgeons from Sri Lanka and around the world volunteer their time to carry out the operations, and we helped to restore the sight of 70 people with 72 operations in 3 days! These were retired and working people, including teachers and drivers, so their sight is essential for the wellbeing of their families."
Click to
edit CTA Block Component