Barclays Volunteers Transform Outdoor Spaces at YMCA South Ealing

Barclays volunteers recently rolled up their sleeves to help enhance the outdoor spaces at YMCA South Ealing, creating a more welcoming environment for residents and colleagues.

As part of Barclays’ corporate volunteering programme, the team spent the day supporting the outdoor spaces improvement project. Together, they worked hard to tidy outdoor areas, carry out gardening tasks and plant a range of colourful new plants to brighten the space.

In addition to donating their time, Barclays contributed £500 towards the project, helping to cover materials and support ongoing improvements.

The volunteering day was organised by Nikolay Venkov, who has been instrumental in connecting YMCA St Paul’s Group with Barclays colleagues from branches near our sites. From YMCA St Paul’s Group, the project was managed by Latoya Bloomfield and coordinated by Darren Shirley, with support from South Ealing colleagues Maria Sbardellotto and Munira Bandali, who joined in to help throughout the day.

Reflecting on the partnership, Nikolay Venkov from Barclays said:

We are proud to build long-term relationships with organisations like YMCA St Paul’s Group that create positive social impact in our communities. Days like this demonstrate how, beyond banking, we can work together to support our clients’ social purpose through various initiatives. A big thank you to everyone involved—we’re proud to play a small part in the incredible work YMCA St Paul’s Group does and look forward to continuing our partnership.

The feedback from colleagues and residents at YMCA South Ealing has been overwhelmingly positive, with many expressing their appreciation for the volunteers’ hard work and generosity.

A huge thank you to the volunteers from Barclays for their time, enthusiasm and support. Partnerships like these make a real difference to our communities and help create welcoming spaces where people can thrive.