Staff members at a leading Derby IT company which has seen its busiest volunteering year yet have been helping out a charity which gave them holidays as children.
Ethan Edwards and Kayleigh Potter, apprentices at L.E.A.D. IT Services in Pride Park, said they were honoured to be given leave through their work to help Derby Kids’ Camp where both enjoyed camping holidays as children.
Both were speaking during National Volunteers Week, which champions the efforts of thousands across the UK who give their time to help great causes.
Apprentice field technician Ethan, 21, said he had started going to Derby Kids’ Camp aged six after spending his early years in foster care.
He said: “Kids’ Camp was a massive eye opener for me. Up until that point, I had never seen a sheep in a field or even been to a farm.
“Going there was my first ever official holiday. I can’t explain the impact it had on me. I remember some of the kids who came with me. It was an absolutely fantastic experience.”
Having had wonderful holidays every year courtesy of Derby Kids’ Camp, Ethan has now been volunteering for the charity for the past seven years to help other children have the same fantastic times he did.
He is so passionate about the work of the charity and its impact on children that he has even had the charity’s logo and distinctive tents tattooed on his arm!
Knowledge that L.E.A.D. IT Services offered volunteering opportunities was a significant factor in attracting him to work for the company, said Ethan.
“For me, one of the main aspects of joining L.E.A.D. IT Services was their support for volunteering,” he said. “In the past I’ve worked in places where that wasn’t possible.”
For more than 50 years Derby Kids’ Camp has been providing holidays in the Peak District for children who need a break. They may be struggling with bereavement, family financial difficulties or a range of other issues.
L.E.A.D. IT Services’ managing director Lee Jepson is a charity trustee and Chris Edwards, who has recently joined the company as Partnership Development Manager, is its president having volunteered for Kids’ Camp for 30 years.
Each year the camp is run by around 200 volunteers and L.E.A.D. IT Services sends a large team of staff to help build it, providing vital infrastructure such as IT and underground water pipes.
The company of around 70 staff also provides a team to help run a week of the camp itself, supporting children to have a great week, allowing staff generous volunteering time on top of their annual leave allowance.
Kayleigh Potter, also an apprentice at L.E.A.D. IT Services, remembered how caring the volunteer team had been when she had a holiday there as a child.
As well as volunteering to help build the camp, Kayleigh has also helped out at YMCA Derbyshire which hosts a monthly community meal funded and prepared by local businesses. L.E.A.D. IT Services has been sending teams of staff to help provide the meals over the last few years.
Kayleigh said: “I think it’s good to put yourself out there and take part in volunteering – and that encourages other people to put themselves out there too.”
Over the past year L.E.A.D. IT Services, which works with more than 250 schools, academy trusts and businesses on technology procurement and provision, has seen its busiest yet for volunteering from staff with more than half the workforce giving their time.
On May 16 a team of 24 employees gave up their Saturday to take part in the Cosy Bike & Hike in aid of Derby Kids’ Camp and the Derbyshire Children’s Holiday Centre. Three employees cycled from Derby to Skegness while 21 took part in the hike from Derby to Ashbourne – a distance of 20 miles. Staff also took part in last year’s Santa Run as well as offering support for the Express Recruitment Football Tournament for Notts County Football Club Foundation.
Chris Edwards said: “The Derby community is really special in the way that organisations support charities. L.E.A.D. IT Services is absolutely at the forefront of that. Allowing volunteering is brilliant for staff morale. We have got a great team coming on the Derby Kids’ Camp build this year in July. Having everybody in that field doing different jobs and supporting the charity is great. Derby Kids’ Camp can’t function without our essential volunteer team.”
This story was written and shared on behalf of L.E.A.D. IT Services by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
