As we celebrate Volunteers’ Week, we’re reflecting on the successes of Cefnogi. Our community fund, ‘Cefnogi’ (meaning “support” in Welsh), offers micro-grants of up to £250 and/or volunteering opportunities to a range of local groups and community organisations in the towns and villages across south Wales where we’re building our network.
Since launching the programme two years ago, Ogi staff have rolled up their sleeves to volunteer at hundreds of local grassroots projects, with more than 2,500 hours spent volunteering in the last year alone.
One recent project was the Fairoaks Sheltered Housing in Dinas Powys. The locals were creating a vibrant community garden for everyone to enjoy, and we were chuffed to lend a hand. Through our Cefnogi fund, Ogi offered financial support and organised a volunteer day where 20 team members pitched in. We dug, weeded, removed brambles, planted flowers, built a decked area around a pond, and painted the shed.
Months later, Pat McQuiston, a resident and key figure in the garden project, invited us back for a summer BBQ. It was an epic afternoon, showcasing community spirit, with neighbours, businesses, and volunteers all coming together to celebrate the making of a beautiful, shared space. Pat expressed heartfelt thanks, saying, “Without the support of Ogi and other volunteers, the community garden would have become overgrown and unused. Now, it’s a space for everyone to enjoy again. It was a wonderful reminder of what we can achieve when we work together!”
Louise, Ogi’s Community Engagement Lead, shared, “This is why volunteering is so important to us at Ogi. Community is at the heart of all we do. Not only are we investing in these communities by bringing faster fibre broadband, but while we’re here, we want to connect and leave a lasting legacy.”
So, happy Volunteers’ Week! Let’s keep making a difference together!
