The charity already runs a successful employee volunteering programme in London, working with companies such as EE, CEB, BP and Balfour Beatty. Now it wants to expand the service across the West Midlands from its new Birmingham office at the Big Peg.

Research shows that volunteering helps staff develop leadership, decision-making and negotiation skills. It can also help staff develop as individuals, boost morale and improve retention.

Helen Walker, Chief Executive of TimeBank, says: “Volunteering can be a cost-effective option for team building, away days, or offer training and development opportunities for staff. Most importantly, it enables companies to make a real difference in their local communities.”

Shelley Hoppe, CEO of creative agency Southerly, where staff volunteered to build a reading corner at a local school says: “We could have simply had a whip round in the office and donated money to charity. But we wanted to use our creative skills to bond as a team, have fun and do something to make a big impact somewhere nearby that really needed it.”