Colchester Metro Bank Colleagues Help Prep Local Shelter
The UK’s community bank, Metro Bank, gives every colleague a Day to Amaze – essentially a paid day off to support a local charity or good cause. Colleagues from Metro Bank’s Colchester store chose to use their Days to Amaze volunteering at the Colchester Emergency Night Shelter (CENS) to get it ready for reopening on June 26th.
CENS has been supporting the homeless for over 35 years, providing emergency accommodation across Essex and Suffolk, along with help and advice to enable residents to secure permanent housing. Covid-19 has massively impacted the charity which had to close its doors in March 2020. Metro Bank colleagues Roger Clark and Charlotte Sommers volunteered as part of Project Rebuild – ensuring the shelter could be COVID compliant when it reopened.
“CENS has let us know that the long term effects of the pandemic will undoubtedly lead to greater numbers of people finding themselves homeless,” explains Metro Bank store manager, Oli Bailey. “CENs is currently turning away between five to ten referrals every day, so anything we could do to help get them reopened, we were happy to do as their services are really needed locally.”
“Being able to help create a safe and relaxing place for those going through homelessness to go to felt really important and worthwhile, the shelter is not only helping people to get back on their feet but also guide them and help them to rebuild their lives,” said Metro Bank customer service representative Charlotte Sommers. “The staff working at the shelter couldn’t have made me feel more welcome and have created a space that felt non-judgemental and caring. I wish the shelter the best of luck in their reopening and hope to offer my services in the future.”
Metro Bank’s Colchester store can be found at 31-32 High Street, Colchester, CO1 1DB.
The store is currently open Monday – Saturday 08:30am - 6pm. Sunday: 11am - 5pm.