Giving back is '˜easy and incredibly rewarding'

After Black Friday and Cyber Monday what a relief it is to have Giving Tuesday.

After the rush to spend, spend, spend, this latest name day encourages us all to give something back. To do something good. It is easier than you think and incredibly rewarding.

In addition to providing financial support to our chosen charities, as a firm we consciously chose to focus on volunteering opportunities where staff can work hand-in-hand with those charities. Gillespie Macandrew offers all employees one paid “charity day” a year which they can use for volunteering and those who have taken up this opportunity have gained greatly from the experience.

Since this initiative was introduced, staff have been actively involved in choosing the charities we support and the numbers signing up to help are growing all the time.

One of our chosen charities is The Rossie Young People’s Trust, a remarkable residential centre that provides a safe and supportive environment for young people to develop life skills. The people at Rossie are always buzzing with ideas and it is hard not be gripped by their enthusiasm.

The Rock Trust is another and it helps young people who are homeless or at the risk of becoming homeless. It helps by providing the right accommodation, support, education and employment opportunities that will lead to a better future. Whether as an individual or as a company, and whether a bake sale, sponsored run or volunteering is your thing, the opportunities to link with charities are growing all the time. Small actions can make a big difference.

And after a weekend of binge shopping, it is heart-warming to know that so many people willing to give up their time and make donations to a good cause.

l Lianne Lodge is the Charities Associate at Gillespie Macandrew