Employees and customers of Marks & Spencer in Manchester are set to paint, garden, build and teach as they take on 24 volunteer projects at causes around the city over the course of a week.
The volunteers will participate in Spark Something Good, an initiative that was launched in London in July and aims to inspire and motivate M&S staff and customers to donate time to their local community.
M&S is calling for local sewing enthusiasts to volunteer their time and take action for social good by taking part in a sewing workshop at its store on Market Street on Wednesday 7th October 2015.
Four workshops will take place throughout the day with local organisation Making For Charity to create personalised care bags for the Macmillan Supportive and Palliative Care Team in Manchester. The bags will be used for patients undergoing Cancer treatment to carry sensitive medical equipment.
Volunteers will need to be available to help create and adorn the bags in a dedicated area of the store, with sewing machines and equipment provided on the day.
Those wishing to participate and find out more can visit the newly created Spark Something Good website, developed in partnership with the social network for social good, Neighbourly.com.
Graeme Pallant, M&S North West Head of Region, said: “We’re really excited to be launching this initiative in Manchester, having seen how successful it was in London and last month in Dublin and what was achieved. We’re encouraging anyone who wants to make a positive difference to their community to get involved by donating their time, which can often be more valuable than money, to one of these 24 worthwhile causes. Helping others on a voluntary basis can make a profound difference, not only to the communities in which the volunteers serve, but also for the volunteers themselves.”
Over the course of the week, local organisations from Manchester Dogs Home and Real Food Wythenshawe to Whitemoss Youth Group and the Christie Charity will benefit from projects that will transform their premises and assist their vital day-to-day work.
M&S aims to spark customers in Manchester into action by showing just what can be achieved when people come together united by a common goal. Spark Something Good was launched in London in July and transformed 24 community projects around the UK capital in just 24 hours.
A further 24 cities across the UK and Ireland will take part over the next two years, with Manchester the third city to be chosen after Dublin. M&S developed Spark Something Good following extensive research and dialogue which revealed that getting involved in community projects enhanced people’s lives.
Spark Something Good aims to get employees and customers involved in Plan A (M&S’ eco and ethical programme). Launched in July this year, customers and employees can get involved by volunteering in their community, Shwopping old clothes or donating to local and national causes.
