Bradford’s employers are being urged to do more to help tackle the “never-ending need” of the city’s most deprived communities.

Be Involved, the business engagement programme, is keen to hear from more small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) to send their staff on volunteering days.

Today’s call to help, on the final day of National Volunteers’ Week, is being backed by Bradford-based Yorkshire Building Society.

Staff from the society have spent more than 5,400 hours volunteering on community challenges since its Actioneering scheme began in September 2007. The amount of time out employees can take to volunteer in the community each year was recently doubled to two days.

Bev Cox, corporate responsibility manager at YBS, said the firm had reaped the benefits of community work.

She said: “It gives staff the chance to go out and use their skills and share them with other people. They’re great team-building opportunities.

“Our relationship with Be Involved is a very important one. We know we are making a difference and our staff are very keen to give something back to their communities. Volunteers get a sense of achievement doing something that has lasting benefits.”

Anthony Waddington of Be Involved, said: “There is a never-ending need for volunteering in Bradford. Last year, we sent out 1,500 people on team activities from a huge range of companies to 120 community organisations and 40-odd schools, but this is just scratching the surface of what needs to be done."

  • Read the full story in Tuesday's T&A