Stansted Airport staff devote more than 7,000 hours to helping good causes

Staff at Stansted Airport have clocked up more than 7,000 hours volunteering in the community over the past 12 months.

Over 350 Manchester Airports Group workers took part in projects throughout the year to beat the previous year’s total of just under 5,000 hours given by 220 staff.

Activities included painting and decorating a village hall, maintaining large gardens and land belonging to older residents and at hospices and care homes, litter picking, walking pets for their elderly owners and serving Christmas dinners at community social events combatting loneliness.

Staff also supported work experience students from partner schools and colleges, did one-to-one mentoring with GCSE students in school and hosted mock interviews.

Kristin Young, who is Stansted’s airside security manager and lives in Bishop’s Stortford, said: “Working at the airport and living very local gives me a fantastic opportunity to help make a difference in my community through volunteering. I’ve been able to get involved in lots of great activities and schemes.

"When the day job is so demanding, it’s refreshing and really rewarding to be able to take time out with our teams and give something back to the community, whether it's painting school fences, digging gardens or helping to coach students on career planning.”

Marcella M’Rabety, head of corporate social responsibility at Stansted, said: “I’m very proud of the efforts of so many London Stansted staff who volunteer and help valuable causes and projects. More than ever have taken time out this year to get out into local villages and towns and contribute their time, labour, experience and knowledge.

“Hundreds of our staff and their families live close to the airport and are keen to get involved in their communities. We fully support our staff in giving both work time and their own time to local projects, and reward and celebrate their support via our own recognition schemes.

“We welcome requests from a whole range of projects and will always do our best to find teams to support activity if it takes place in communities close by or linked to the airport.”

Project organisers, community groups, charities and schools can request assistance from the airport community team. Details should be sent to stn_communityrelations@stanstedairport.com