The value of community projects

As I look ahead to 2026, I am reminded of what a great experience we had last summer being a part of Buzz in the City, Chelmsford’s first ever sculpture art trail. 

Our primary motivation for our involvement in the project was to support our local hospice and for individuals who attend our Chelmsford Day Centres to participate in something engaging and fun. But its benefits went far beyond that.  

Buzz in the City was an art trail that featured a swarm of colourful bee sculptures sponsored by local organisations to raise vital funds for the hospice. We sponsored four bee sculptures, a large bee decorated by a local artist and three mini bees which were decorated by individuals that attend our Chelmsford day centres for older people and people with learning disabilities. 

Community engagement is at the heart of what we do. The people we support in our services get so much fulfilment from both creative and community-based activities, making this the ideal project for us to be involved with.  

Everyone at our Chelmsford day centres had a great time decorating their bees and loved seeing them in situ in the town centre over the summer. But what I hadn’t anticipated was how it would bring colleagues from all areas of the business together. 

The ’buzz’ resonated company-wide, from updates on the progress of the bees via our internal social networking platform and company newsletter, to a competition to choose the design of our big bee; everyone got involved.  

We utilised the trail to encourage team building and promote wellbeing with ‘walk and talk’ meetings and ‘wellbeing’ walks organised to encourage getting outside, doing some exercise and fulfilling creative needs.  

Buzz in the City was a hit because of how it aligned people’s personal values with our corporate values of caring, excellence, integrity, and teamwork.  

The very nature of our business means we attract employees who care, but when you add to that an initiative which helps an organisation like Farleigh Hospice who share our values and have touched the lives of so many of our employees and the people that we support, it’s bound to have an impact. 

For us ‘caring’ isn’t just something we say we are. We live it every day. It’s why we are selective about how we ‘do’ corporate social responsibility. We don’t just want to tick a box; we want to have an impact.  

So, what do we get from involvement with such projects?  

For us they: 

1. Reinforce our values - choosing initiatives that mirror our values to have the most impact.
2. Bring everyone together – with numerous departments and a largely remote workforce ensuring everyone feels as one is a challenge. Projects that everyone gets involved in help strengthen this sense of one team.
3. Improve morale – embracing initiatives like Buzz in the City are fun and make everyone smile! Adding to job satisfaction, motivation and increasing loyalty.
4. Reinforce purpose and meaning – being involved with supporting a great cause reinforces this for all of us.
5. Improve wellbeing – working towards a shared goal, helping a charity, seeing customers getting fulfilment from being involved all does wonders for our wellbeing. 
6. Demonstrates our commitment to being an employer with a strong sense of social responsibility. Emphasising our values in our recruitment and retention practices. 

Our experience with Buzz in the City reminded us that community projects are not just about giving back - they strengthen culture, boost morale, and unite teams.  

When initiatives align with our values and have real impact, fostering a sense of purpose that benefits the entire workforce.