News / 20.07.23 / 4 min read

Making friends with our community

What started as a one-off afternoon of volunteering has now become an integral part of the Mr B culture. In September 2022, Friends of the Community was born.

Making friends with our community

Inspired by International Day of Charity, a group from the agency decided to dedicate their free Friday afternoon to support a local charitable venture. It was a roaring success and there was a general consensus that it should become an ongoing initiative.

As an company we’ve committed to seeking out local charitable organisations where we can provide some practical, hands on support. Stepping away from the desk, rolling up our sleeves and getting our hands dirty has not only been a great way to spend time together, but an extremely rewarding experience. There’s so much good going on in Bristol under our noses, and we’ve been lucky enough to get to experience some of this firsthand. We’ve been welcomed into new worlds, working side by side to make our community a better place.

Our first venture was out to Elm Tree Farm, where we groomed cows ready for an upcoming agricultural show. An experience I’m sure none of us thought we’d have.

At Christmas we took part in the Food Banks Reserve advent calendar, where we stocked up on all the festive favourites and essentials and donated it to those in need.

We popped over the road to The Bristol Wing hostel, where we helped them get ready for their grand opening. We built an array of beds, armchairs, tables and dressing tables. We really (flat) packed it in! 

 

We spent an afternoon at Redcatch Community Garden transporting and filtering compost ready for the winter season ahead.

Most recently we spent an afternoon at the Heart of BS13. We took part in their Pollinator Trail project, to help increase and encourage the wildlife and biodiversity in Bristol. We spent time at their base, planting flowers and cultivating soil along the way. We got the opportunity to help save the bees and meet local resident Jazzie the dog! 

We’re currently in training for the Macmillan Mighty Hike, where a team of us will be walking the length of a marathon along the Wye Valley at the end of September. You’ll catch us taking the stairs and walking in the rain in prep. 

We’ve met some really interesting people along our journey so far, learnt new skills, and had a good giggle in between washing cows and racing wheelbarrows. Who knows what’s next on the agenda!

If you know of any great local causes that need assistance please contact emma.purnell@mrbandfriends.co.uk. If we can help, we will! It feels good to do good.

Emma Purnell

Junior Designer