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Arthur Rank Hospice Charity at Hot Stories: Liz Shares the Power of Corporate Volunteering and Community Support
Videography: Jamie Ellam Visuals | Photography: Jamie Ellam Visuals & Chris Hornby Photography
At this month’s Hot Stories event, we were privileged to welcome Liz from Arthur Rank Hospice Charity - an organisation that has become a cornerstone of compassionate care across Cambridgeshire.
Arthur Rank provides essential support for individuals and families facing some of the most difficult moments of their lives. Their work includes inpatient care, day therapy, emotional support, counselling, and specialised palliative services delivered with dignity, expertise and empathy.
Yet Liz began with a truth many in the room were already aware of - the charity recently faced significant funding cuts, creating new challenges for their fundraising team and increasing the importance of community involvement.
A Thank You From the Hospice to the Business Community
Liz thanked the local business community - and events like Hot Stories - for continuing to stand beside the charity during a time when support is needed more than ever.
She shared that while financial donations are essential, there are other powerful ways companies can support Arthur Rank’s mission.
One of those ways is through corporate volunteering, a programme that many businesses are still unaware of.
Corporate Volunteering: A Meaningful Way to Give Back
Liz explained the programme in detail.
Companies can offer employees paid time - even just once a year - to volunteer at the hospice. These hours are vital because they help maintain the charity’s facilities, support their shops and ensure events run efficiently.
Corporate volunteers help with:
1. Hospice Gardens
Arthur Rank has a beautiful, therapeutic garden space looked after by regular volunteers, but the corporate teams bring essential support to manage seasonal projects and larger tasks.
Many volunteers enjoy stepping out of the office to spend a day outdoors while making a visible difference.
2. Retail Shops - Nine Across Cambridgeshire
Corporate volunteers play an important role in:
• Sorting donations
• Steaming and tagging items
• Preparing stock for sale
• Helping with window displays
• Supporting daily shop operations
These efforts help generate crucial income that directly supports patient care.
3. Event Promotion
Arthur Rank runs multiple events throughout the year.
Corporate volunteers help distribute posters, leaflets and promotional materials in their local areas -enabling more people to hear about and attend the charity’s activities.
4. Event Day Support
From registration to stewarding, volunteers often help Arthur Rank deliver seamless community events.
Liz emphasised that corporate volunteering is often transformative for teams - giving people a sense of purpose, perspective and connection.
An Urgent Request: Christmas Tree Recycling Vans Needed
Liz also highlighted a pressing need for early January.
Each year, Arthur Rank runs a Christmas Tree Recycling Scheme, where volunteers collect Christmas trees from homes across Cambridgeshire.
The goal is to raise £100,000 from this initiative alone.
To achieve this, they urgently need:
• Vans • Drivers • Businesses willing to lend vehicles or volunteer staff
If anyone in the community has contacts with companies who can contribute a van or a driver, the support would make a significant difference.
Gemini Web Media Is Sponsoring Arthur Rank Hospice Charity
After Liz’s speech, we highlighted one of the most important parts of our current Hot Stories season.
Gemini Web Media is officially sponsoring Arthur Rank Hospice Charity for the next three months.
Our goal is simple and focused:
raise £1,000 to support their essential work.
Support can be given through our fundraising link:
https://arhc.enthuse.com/pf/genimi-web-media
This commitment reflects our belief in community, compassion and standing beside organisations that make a real difference.
Thank You to Neil from Cooper Barnes Automotive
We also acknowledge the support from Neil during the event:
Thank you to Neil from Cooper Barnes Automotive for his great input at our Hot Stories networking event. Your support is always appreciated.
Why This Story Matters at Hot Stories
Liz’s presentation reminded us why we gather each month - not just to promote our businesses, but to elevate each other’s missions, causes and values.
Arthur Rank Hospice Charity stands for:
• dignity • compassion • care • community • humanity
These are the same values that drive the heart of Hot Stories.
Support Through Sponsorship and Membership
Businesses looking to grow their visibility, credibility and presence within a supportive local network can explore:
Sponsorship
https://meetnew.business/Become-a-Sponsor-of-Hot-Stories
Membership
https://geminiweb.media/Membership-Plans
Membership also includes access to our Collective Advantage Network - every Wednesday at 2pm.
Join Us at Hot Stories
We run two monthly events:
• Cambridge – The Red Lion, Cherry Hinton (second Wednesday)
• Duxford – Mantle Space, The Officers’ Mess (third Thursday)
10am–12pm
Every story matters here.
Book next event here - https://meetnew.business/
Event Professionals
Videography: Jamie Ellam Visuals
Photography: Jamie Ellam Visuals & Chris Hornby Photography
