Around seventy of the City's most high-profile companies, organisations and individuals responded to an invitation from the Cambridge Building Society to hear more about how business involvement with the community can pay real rewards.

The event, which also had an entertaining ‘speed networking’ element to it, was held in the gardens of Magdalene College and was hosted by the Society’s CEO, Stephen Mitcham, who emphasised that supporting the community paid dividends back to the Society and was by no means a ‘one way street.’

Left: Stephen Mitcham, Chief Executive, Cambridge Building Society, Helen Bearfield-Smith, Regional Appeals Manager, Teenage Cancer Trust, Annette Cameron, Patron’s Company Executive, Outward Bound and Terry Holloway, Group Support Executive of Marshall of Cambridge and Chairman of CBCAN. Right: Lady Archer and Stephen Mitcham.

Stephen Mitcham said:

“We are all here because each of us takes our community very seriously. In different ways we all benefit directly and indirectly from the community we work within. Our businesses are here. Our colleagues are here. Our current and future members of staff live here and many of our customers and suppliers also live and work here.

“Supporting specific community events around our branch network gives our staff a great morale boost. It shows we care about the community and enhances our reputation for being part of the fabric of Cambridge, not just in Cambridge.


Left:Terry Holloway, Group Support Executive of Marshall of Cambridge and Chairman of CBCAN. Right: Stephen Mitcham, Chief Executive, Cambridge Building Society, addressing guests at Magdalene College.

Last year Cambridge Building Society staff volunteered over 2,500 hours to help with their local communities and helped around 277 charities. In the last six years, the Society’s annual staff charity fundraising day, Tour de Branch, has raised some £56,000 for 25 charities.

One local organisation that works to link businesses with appropriate community causes is CBCAN. It believes that businesses have a role to play in local economic, social and environmental development. The organisation matches businesses to specific causes, which range from working with the homeless and giving advice and specialist expertise to partnering with schools.