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There's many reasons why I really enjoy working for Morgan McKinley, one of which is that I think we’re unique in our approach.

Yes we, like any other recruitment company, are a profit making business, but the way that we go about it is holistically different. Our ethos is that the candidate is always put first, and that we are their career ally. This includes face to face meetings to prepare for all interviews and genuinely having their best interests at heart. It’s offering unbiased and honest career advice. The audit in practice world (that I'm emerged in) is very competitive, and a good consultant who really knows their market well is key!

Two years ago, our global business took on a different type of initiative: a Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) challenge to fundraise €1 Million for charities of our teams' choice. To encourage our people to get involved and support local communities, everyone across the MMK group is given 2 days each year to volunteer. This is something that my 2 colleagues (Sophie and Sinéad) and I undertook.

We spent the day at a food bank in Vauxhall, run by an excellent organisation called the Trussell Trust. Based in the Vauxhall Christian Centre behind the City Farm, this vital organisation is open 2 days a week (Wednesday and Saturday) and helps to serve those in the local community.

How does it work? A number of organisations/individuals (such as local job centres, doctors and social workers) issue vouchers to those in need, who can then exchange this for a food parcel. This parcel contains 3 days of essential supplies, the size of which depends on whether this is for a single person, couple, or those with children, and contain tinned meat, fish, cereals, jam, toiletries, tinned vegetables, and biscuits. Volunteers from the community also provide a cooked breakfast for the voucher holders, offering conversation and advice.

Talking to the volunteers, it's clear that this support is intended to be a one-off emergency service for people who find themselves in crisis, and the idea is to not see the same people, day after day. If this does occur, then the Trussell Trust involve other support organisations who are better suited to provide help. 

It was great working alongside the other volunteers, helping to pack away donations, putting together food parcels, and organising stock. It was wonderful to see how efficiently the food bank is run and the dignity and respect with which everyone is treated. It was emphasised to us how grateful they are for people to spread the work about the ‘most needed’ items and keep the momentum of donations up.

Thinking of making a donation? Here’s some advice on what to give:

• Food stuffs needed most are tinned fruit, jam rice pudding and meat meals.
• If it is the latter that you are buying, please check the meat content – some of the tins that I examined had as little as 2%, and this actually is more expensive to heat on a hob, so anything of 50%, will not only be more nutritious but also more cost effective!
• Please avoid pasta, as the team were recently inundated with huge volumes of boxes - with sell by dates as far in the future as 2022! However, it would never be turned away and all donations are very gratefully received.

 

Josh Rufus | Audit Recruitment Manager, London