REPRESENT- EDMONTON GREEN SHOPPING CENTRE
The management team at Edmonton Green shopping centre puts the community at the heart of everything they do, they go above and beyond to support local families and organisations.
To understand the needs of not just the local community but the organisations that operate within it, they reached out to various community groups in Edmonton to find out who was in need and what support they required. With the continued Covid crisis it was quite apparent that everyone was impacted, so the team took it upon themselves to help by creating the “You care, we care, Edmonton Cares” Community Response plan. The plan was formulated to look at ways in which they could respond to those in need of help. It was important to ensure all branches were included to unite the whole Edmonton community. The team quickly set about reviewing local organisations who needed help and soon identified several groups, charities and schools which supported a large cross section of Edmonton but where in need of help. They set up free space complete with stand, barriers and advertising boards so local organisations can engage, fundraise or just raise awareness. Coupled this with free advertising on socials it proved extremely popular with the space getting fully booked and return bookings made due to the success and impact.
From taking part in land aids sleep out to hosting a talent show involving multiple local charities, over the course of 2021 the onsite team:
- Donated over 146 hours to run and take part in local and national events
- Helped 77 local organisations and charities which is 53 more than the previous year
- Raise over £14,000 for local good courses and charities
A key learning point for the team was that community engagement is a process, not an event. Crucially, the team recognises that such engagement cannot just be a “one-off”. They have learnt that involving the community, listening to what it has to say, understanding its needs, and seeking to meet them are essential for an initiative to be successful.
TESTIMONIAL
“Over the past 12 months the team at Edmonton Green have gone above and beyond in supporting their local community, residents and stakeholders. Their passion for supporting their local area, especially during these testing times is extremely admirable. The team have been conducting these initiatives without impacting their daily roles or the running of the shopping centre with engagement at an all-time high. To have a team so socially aware and responsible is inspiring and a great example to the teams across our business”.
Anthony Springle, Surveying Director, Ashdown Phillips & Partners Ltd
