OPM in the community

OPM runs several projects to put time and money back into the community.

Gray’s Inn Road is not only home to businesses like OPM, but is also part of a thriving residential community. Given that social values are central to all OPM’s work, we have an ongoing programme of corporate citizenship to improve social results in our local community.

'OPM’s work in the community is important to me as it helps us to give something back to the community, improve our social result and live our values.'
– OPM member’s comment in staff survey of our community work

Gardening at the Calthorpe Project

A group of volunteers from OPM spent a day gardening at the Calthorpe Project, a community garden that has existed since 1984 when local residents successfully campaigned against the sale of the land for development. Now it is both an urban oasis and an educational resource for recycling and ecological awareness for the local King’s Cross community. The OPM team carried out such tasks as mowing, trimming, weeding beds and general gardening.

'The team task is a great way for us to contribute to the environment in our locality. I thoroughly enjoyed the opportunity to work with colleagues in a non-work context'– volunteer

Reading at Copenhagen School

Eleven OPM volunteers visit Copenhagen Primary School for an hour a week to help the children with literacy and reading. The school reflects the ethnic diversity of the surrounding area, with about 65 per cent of the children having English as their second language. Many of the children do not get help at home with their schoolwork image: reading at a school and the one-to-one attention that volunteers give helps to reinforce and complement the work of teachers.

'It has been a very rewarding and enjoyable experience reading with Tyreke over the past two years and watching his reading and confidence improve.' – volunteer

E-mentoring at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson School

Other OPM members volunteer as ‘e-mentors’ to students at Elizabeth Garrett Anderson school by sending and receiving at least one email per week. As well as providing academic and pastoral support, e-mentoring helps to improve literacy and IT skills. Students enjoy the opportunity to share and develop their plans and aspirations with an adult who is neither a teacher nor a parent. They also relish the uniqueness of the volunteer’s role – someone who chooses to spend time helping them.

‘Volunteering is a key positive aspect of OPM, one which attracted me to the organisation and I enjoy every time I go to the school.’ – volunteer

If you would like to know more or think we can help you, please contact Sheba Cheung on 0207 239 7873