In the Community

Shire UK is proud of its commitment to help the local community and of the support we give to a variety of charitable events held each year. Shire UK employees are an active part of Shire’s global Volunteer Day programme whereby the company supports employees to use a day of their working time in a voluntary capacity.

Activities have included:

• Participation at the Basingstoke Alzheimer's Society Christmas lunch. Shire volunteers served some of the elderly Alzheimer's residents of Basingstoke with a delicious Christmas meal, and enjoyed an afternoon of celebration with them.
• Donation of Christmas gifts which were distributed to elderly recipients in the community, as identified by Age Concern. This scheme has now been running for some years and is very successful.  Shire UK employees also have the opportunity to accompany the organisers and hand out gifts personally.
• Volunteer days, that  benefit  local schools and charities, for example accompanying disabled children from a designated school with the local Rotary Club on a day's outing and creating garden space where children can learn to grow their own vegetables.
• Support of charity events such as the Macmillan Big Coffee Morning appeal, Comic Relief, Wear it Pink Cancer Relief and the annual “Jeans for Genes” fundraising day where the company matches employees’ donations.
• Employees are actively encouraged to THINK RECYCLING at home and at work. Recycling facilities are used in the office to ensure we recycle all paper, cardboard and some plastics, along with recycling of office waste such as printer cartridges. All Basingstoke offices have energy efficient heating and auto-switch off lighting.
• A partnership with a local Voluntary Service called “The Link” has been developed where by this organisation collects books, CDs, clothing, household equipment, small items of furniture, as well as unwanted office supplied (used folders, etc.) and pass them on to worthy causes such as refuges, children's home, scout groups, local archaeological society, nurses quarters and the children’s wards at the local hospital, Some items are even passed on to Eastern Europe or Africa via "Feed the Children" to benefit those in need outside of the UK.
• Shire operates a payroll giving scheme whereby employees can donate to their chosen charity each month directly from their salary.
• Employees have the opportunity of donating blood to the National Blood Service that visits the Basingstoke area twice a year
• Shire also supports employees by making a donation towards their own fundraising activities.

For full information on Shire’s approach to Corporate Responsibility and other activities we undertake, please go to www.shirecr.com.