22 December 2025

Each member of Waterman’s team has the opportunity to take paid Volunteering Leave every year. As 2025 draws to a close, we are proud to reflect on the remarkable efforts of colleagues across our business who have dedicated their time and energy to volunteering initiatives across the UK. From supporting mental health to environmental conservation, and from mentoring students to engaging with local communities, their contributions have made a real difference.

In London, our teams supported mental health at The Listening Place, shared their career journeys at St Paul’s Catholic School, cleaned canals and rivers with Moo Canoes and Overbury, and took part in Lambeth Palace Day with our Charity of the Year, CHECT. We also joined beach cleans with Better Bankside and Recorra, volunteered in the gardens at Lucy Brown House, and even contributed to Coral Reef and Turtle Conservation projects.

Recorra-better-bankside--river-thames-beach-clean
Recorra-better-bankside–river-thames-beach-clean

 

Meanwhile, colleagues in Glasgow rolled up their sleeves for a conservation volunteering day at Chatelherault Country Park, and down in Redhill, our team participated in the Rochester Bridge Trust selection panel for the Phil Tindal Memorial Medal and led a Scouting Leadership Camp with 150 young people. Across Scotland, we mentored students at the University of the West of Scotland, whilst in Sheffield, we continue to support Food Works by working in a community garden.

In Bristol, our team got involved in community projects at Ashton Keynes Millennium Green, helped care for trees with Avon Needs Trees and tackled bramble bashing at the Bristol Cycling Centre. Elsewhere, in Manchester, we joined a Scout Summer Camp, supported rewilding efforts with Friends of Bridestones, celebrated community spirit at Global Grooves Carnival Day and worked alongside Friends of Outwood on conservation activities.

Giving back through leadership at Longford Scout Group’s Summer Camp
Giving back through leadership at Longford Scout Group’s Summer Camp

 

Furthermore, colleagues in our specialist secondment business, Waterman Aspen, have been busy supporting a whole range of important causes. In 2025, they racked up nearly 500 hours of volunteering in local communities across the UK. From spending time in care homes, to restoring community wildlife areas, and delivering books to schools, they were proud to make a real difference and received plenty of positive feedback for all their efforts.

“
I feel fortunate to work for a company that provides CSR days which has contributed to the ongoing voluntary support that I am providing for CIC Bridestones Rewilded in realising their vision as a community-owned nature reserve. The site is local to me and supports blanket bog which is an irreplaceable habitat, as well as upland heath and ancient waxcap grasslands, in addition to a suite of notable fauna including invertebrates and breeding birds. I am leading on the biodiversity net gain (BNG) assessment in collaboration with other volunteers to identify the predicted biodiversity unit uplift that will be realised on this site through habitat restoration, enhancement and long-term management measures. Plans are in place to restore these habitats through funding generated from off-site BNG, paid for by other developers unable to deliver statutory BNG on their sites.

Leila Payne
Senior Associate Director from our Manchester ecology team

“
It was an unforgettable experience helping to restore coral reefs and support turtle conservation gave me a real sense of purpose. Building artificial reef structures, planting baby corals, and collecting vital environmental data showed me how small actions can make a big impact on marine ecosystems. Seeing turtles and schools of fish return to areas once devastated was truly inspiring, and it reinforced how important it is for all of us to protect our planet.

Bobby Burnard
Graduate Mechanical Engineer based in our London office, utilised his volunteering time to extend an amazing opportunity with the Tropical Research and Conservation Centre (TRACC) in East Malaysia.