Toby McLuskie Staff at Arcadis Plymouth have once again demonstrated their shared charitable values by supporting the local community through generous donations to Argyle’s social impact initiative – Project 35.
Project 35, in partnership with Ginsters, aims to reduce poverty in Devon and Cornwall through a comprehensive campaign of fund-raising, awareness raising, social outreach, food donations, education, and charity support.
Staff at Arcadis, known as ‘Arcadians’ within the organisation, first supported the project with a Christmas donation – a period of increased difficulty for the local food bank network.
The international civil engineering consultancy then decided to utilise their position in the heart of Plymouth to actively engage with the local community by offering their offices in Derriford as a food collection point for local business. Donations have been made of items of non-perishable food and personal hygiene items which are being distributed directly into the food bank network.
Many of these items were delivered to the Trust’s very own food larder based at Manadon Sports Hub. The weekly larder is a vital service which supports 153 community members most in need each week.
Primarily, the aim of the office food collections is to provide immediate support for the local community. Arcadis hope their involvement in the initiative will inspire Arcadians to volunteer and use their ‘Charity’ days to further support the Trust to deliver a range of activities to vulnerable children and adults across the city.
As well as physical donations, Arcadis have donated €1,000 to support the diverse output of the project through ‘Local Sparks’ – The Arcadis Social Impact Movement.
The Local Sparks programme aims to encourage all Arcadians to contribute their time and expertise to improve quality of life in communities.
Arcadis Charity Ambassador for Plymouth Chris Dorain said: “Being based in Plymouth, Project 35 presents an excellent opportunity for our local offices to actively engage with our local community, as proud Arcadians, and to promote our organisation and its humanitarian, ‘people first’ philosophy.
“When we extend a helping hand, we all experience an undeniable surge of positivity. The knowledge that our actions directly benefit others is empowering, reinforcing the age-old wisdom that giving truly surpasses receiving.
“Whether through donations, volunteering, or active participation, our involvement in charitable endeavours enriches not only the lives of others but also our own.
“One of our strategic missions is to ‘Improve quality of life’. We have offices all over the world, and in the South West we have offices in Plymouth, Exeter, and Truro. We hope, in the future, to co-ordinate our efforts to achieve some important outcomes.
“The ability to improve lives is a privilege—one that comes with an inherent sense of duty! When we help others, we honour this privilege and contribute to a better world. For children, especially, who rely on safety, guidance, and life’s essentials, our support and generosity become a lifeline. Through our company values, Arcadis recognises this obligation and embraces it wholeheartedly.
“Our involvement in charity work isn’t just about altruism; it’s about personal fulfilment, shared values, and the profound impact we can collectively create. Each act of kindness, no matter how small, contributes to a brighter, more compassionate world!”
Arcadis is the world’s leading company delivering sustainable design, engineering, and consultancy solutions for natural and built assets. With local offices in Plymouth, the organisation also has more than 36,000 people, in over 30 countries, dedicated to improving quality of life.
For more information about Arcadis visit https://www.arcadis.com/en-gb.
For more information on Project 35, including how to sign up to take the Pledge 35 challenge visit https://www.pafc.co.uk/project35. For those that can’t come in the office to donate physically, there is also the opportunity to support Project 35 via JustGiving https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/project35.
