The Big Hearts at Gaspol are making a difference for the local community

This could be fund raising, to get projects off the ground, or providing much needed pairs of hands to renovate or improve existing facilities. The support provided is not just focused on specific projects as volunteers give up time to assist some of the most vulnerable members of the local area. This can include visiting patients in hospital, regular visits to care home environments or providing assistance with support groups and centres for rehabilitation.

The Gaspol volunteers have been delighted by the warm response to the range of initiatives such as organised trips, sports events and artisitic activities from the different social groups in the community.

One good example of this is the ‘Holiday at Home’ event that has been organised for the children of low-income families in the area close to the plant. Quite often these children do not have the opportunity to have time away on a vacation, so the volunteers make it holiday-time right where they are. So, over a ten-day period the children can get involved in vacation-style activities and visits to attractions giving them and their parents a much needed break. This event began right at the start of the intiative and has proved very popular with the community who look forward to it every year.

Dorota Bogaj-Kochańska, Personal Assistant to the Director of Logistics and Tank Installations, is the local coordinator of the People with Big Hearts initiative in Rypin, close to a Gaspol plant. Every year, she organises a specific activity for a local orphanage, which may involve renovating rooms or arranging a day out for the children. “We really enjoy getting involved with our local community and it is good to be able to help with projects, spending time with them and getting to know the people who are now our friends”