The charity already runs a successful employee volunteering programme, working with companies such as EE, CEB, BP and Balfour Beatty.

Now it plans to mark the National Day of Employee Volunteering on May 15 by launching a week long campaign to encourage more companies to get involved.

The charity says volunteering helps staff develop leadership, decision-making and negotiation skills. It can also help staff develop as individuals, boost morale and improve retention. Volunteers can also make a vital contribution to the communities where they live and work – whether that’s decorating a youth centre, maintaining a park for future generations to enjoy or helping a local charity to grow.

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.”