Local Consultancy Firm Breathes New Life into Veteran’s Respite

CSR can come in many forms, whether that’s working with a community garden to tidy up and improve an area, helping serve meals in a local soup kitchen, or bag-packing at a supermarket to raise money for a cause. Many companies also choose to fulfil their CSR objectives by providing materials, equipment, sponsorship and donations, pro-bono advice, or some other kind of support. And that’s okay, it’s all CSR and it all helps. It’s what Totally Stoked is all about: communities giving together.

RSM is a well-known global firm specialising in providing audit, tax, and consulting services. Committed to making a positive impact on the communities where they operate and reside, RSM has implemented an outstanding volunteer programme to empower their employees to contribute meaningfully to society. With an office based in Stoke-on-Trent, RSM demonstrates a strong dedication to supporting its local community.

Facilities Supervisor Vikki, reached out to our Totally Stoked Project for help identifying community projects in which the RSM Team could participate. We organised a consultation first, to thoroughly understand their specific needs, interests, and past corporate social responsibility (CSR) opportunities. This enabled our team to customise the CSR options to align with their unique requirements.

We successfully identified several viable options for RSM, and they opted to pursue two projects rather than just one. The first project involved collaborating with the Tri Services and Veteran Support Centre.

Tri Services and Veteran Support Centre opened their doors in October 2015, and since then have had a footfall of approximately 20,000 people. It’s run by veterans for veterans and for their families. They adopt a ‘hub’ based approach to provide the right care and in the right place.

They have a rural retreat site in Harrieshead to provide holistic health and well-being support as well as advancing border skills such as beekeeping, blacksmithing, and bushcraft. As the site is a previous and currently underdeveloped coal yard Tri Services’ long-term vision includes providing on-site accommodations for overnight stays to offer respite for veterans, their families, and the broader community in need.

For RSM, the goal was to renovate the kitchen area so the team diligently cleared the space, conducted thorough cleaning, and applied a fresh coat of paint to brighten and enhance the space.

The RSM Staff had an enriching experience discovering the admirable contributions this charity has made to support veterans and their families throughout Stoke-on-Trent and North Staffordshire.

Quotes from RSM Staff:

• “I hadn’t heard of this charity before, so it was great to find out about them and be able to help them.”
• “My husband is a veteran, so I am passionate about helping veteran based charities.”
• “I would 100% encourage staff to utilise their volunteering days, especially for local charities. It so rewarding to give something back.”
• “It’s nice coming to something that’s been organised for you, especially when we can work as a team to volunteer.”