Cabot Financial, a financial services company, partnered with Leeds Castle for a corporate volunteering initiative focused on preserving the Castle’s historical book collection.
On 15th and 16th October 2024, a Cabot team volunteered their time, carefully cleaning and preserving the Castle’s extensive book collection, including rare and historically significant volumes, some unopened for over a decade. This collaboration proved mutually beneficial, offering Cabot employees a rewarding experience while significantly aiding Leeds Castle’s conservation efforts and safeguarding its treasured literary heritage.
Volunteer Feedback
A post-volunteering survey revealed overwhelmingly positive feedback. All five respondents indicated that the experience was rewarding and beneficial. Key findings include:
- Best Aspects of the Experience: Volunteers highly valued the opportunity to learn about the Castle’s history (mentioned by two volunteers), acquire new skills (two volunteers), gain insights into book conservation techniques (one volunteer), and combine learning with volunteering (one volunteer). One volunteer especially appreciated the sense of making a tangible difference.
- Areas for Improvement: Suggestions for enhancement were minimal. One suggestion was to offer more varied tasks, and another recommended including a castle tour at the end of the volunteering day as a reward. A minor concern was raised regarding the unexpected request for a donation in addition to the volunteer time.
- Skill Development: All five respondents confirmed that the experience helped broaden their knowledge and/or develop new skills.
- Overall Satisfaction: The average rating for the “rewardingness” of the experience was “Very” (rating of two out of five), with a strong majority (80%) giving ratings of “Very” or “Extremely” rewarding.
- Recommendation: All five volunteers would recommend this corporate volunteering opportunity to colleagues and friends.
Feedback From Cabot
- Rebecca (an accountant at Cabot): “The corporate volunteering opportunities available at Leeds Castle provide a great chance for us at Cabot to engage in our local area. Being onsite and getting involved in such a worthwhile project allowed our teams to add value to our community.“
- Another volunteer stated: “Leeds Castle is a majestic place that is well looked after by people that care.”
- Another volunteer noted: “A rewarding and enjoyable day – proud to be involved in volunteering for such a wonderful charity.“
Overall
The Cabot Financial volunteering initiative at Leeds Castle was a resounding success. It provided Cabot employees with a fulfilling opportunity to give back to the community while contributing to the preservation of historical artefacts. The overwhelmingly positive feedback validates the initiative’s impact and provides valuable insights for future corporate volunteering endeavours.
Leeds Castle would like to express a huge thank you to the Cabot Financial team!
