As part of Avison Young’s Day of Giving last week (Thursday 24th October) – a very special day in which the real estate company’s employees worldwide give their time to community causes – members of the firm’s Cardiff office left their desks to spend time creating a memory garden at Llanharan Primary School.
In memory of school pupil Cian who sadly passed away recently, the 20-strong team spent the day creating a special place where his friends and pupils can spend time remembering and contemplating.
Cian’s favourite colour, purple, features heavily in the garden, with planters, memory pebbles, and even model penguins, another of his favourites, included in the design.
Richard Frost, director at Avison Young, whose building team had carried out a refurbishment at the school earlier in the year, said, “When we were working at Llanharan Primary School, the story touched our hearts. So we approached the school, and with Cian’s parent’s blessing, we started to plan the garden.
“We want it to be a place where pupils can come to remember in a peaceful and happy environment. We’ve been able to include some of Cian’s favourite things. We hope the pupils are able to think fondly of him while they spend time here.”
Bethan Price, head teacher at Llanharan Primary School added, “Thank you to everyone at Avison Young who came along to make this beautiful garden a reality. The children will be able to spend many happy hours in the garden, remembering their dear friend.”
All Avison Young’s UK offices participated in a full day of volunteering activities, which included assisting at local food banks, animal shelters and conservation societies. The initiative is part of the firm’s sixth annual global Day of Giving. The day saw thousands of employees in approximately 100 Avison Young offices volunteering at more than 80 community organisations in Europe, Canada, the U.S., and Mexico.
This year, many new members of the Avison Young family participated in the global Day of Giving for the first time. The increases stem from the acquisition of GVA in February 2019 and other acquisitions, new office openings and hires completed during the past year, making this the largest and most far-reaching global Day of Giving so far.
Jason Sibthorpe, Principal and President UK at Avison Young, said: “We proudly represented Avison Young in our local communities, showing how our professionalism extends beyond our client work and back into the communities we help build. Supporting our local communities is not only important; it is a key pillar of our business strategy and part of our company culture. Led by members of our Emerging Leaders program, the Day of Giving allows all of us to feel the wellness, camaraderie and gratitude that result from giving back.”
In the UK, Avison Young is involved in a host of Corporate Responsibility activities and partnerships, including:
- A National Charity Committee which collaborates closely with community groups and charities, empowering our people to use their time and talent to address societal and development challenge
- The Avison Young Employee Community Fund, launched in 2019, which supports local projects across the UK, from improving community buildings and outdoor spaces to buying new equipment, volunteering and hosting community events
- A corporate partnership with the Woodland Trust, whereby every kg of CO2 from the energy used in our offices is mitigated by planting new trees, helping to provide homes for a variety of wildlife and places for recreation
- Two ambitious graduate projects, which regenerated playground areas for Special Educational Needs (SEN) students at two schools. Both projects required Avison Young graduates to plan, design, fundraise and deliver from start to finish, working in partnership with the schools and supported by Groundwork charity.