Social adVentures, a multi-stakeholder cooperative which specialises in public health, residential childcare and social care contracts has received a grant from 3M through its community investment fund.

To celebrate the partnership, members of 3M’s volunteering team recently visited the Social adVentures local community garden in Salford, Manchester. Putting their green thumbs to work, the teams spent time weeding, planting, harvesting, and constructing protective plant frames. They even crafted a ‘hedgehog hotel’ made from natural materials like cuttings and wood.

One of the 3M teams spoke with a regular volunteer who shared that the garden had been “a lifeline giving her purpose and allowing her to socialise in a safe space.” The harvested produce is distributed among the volunteers, with any surplus donated to a local community kitchen.

Commenting on the partnership, Social adVentures Service Director, Kate Simpson said: “I’m thrilled that we’ve received this grant from 3M, which will greatly support our continued efforts to deliver meaningful impact across the various projects we work on within local communities.”

Social adVenture’s mission is to inspire behaviour change through innovative, evidence-based interventions. Their unique integrated well-being pathway accepts referrals from healthcare professionals to help support positive change. As a not-for-profit social enterprise, Social adVentures reinvests all profits into its services, generating over £2million in social value each year.  

3M employees are entitled to take one work-day per year to participate in a 3Mgives volunteering project, or for projects which require more prolonged involvement, additional time is given. This initiative, 3M Gives, focuses on volunteering projects often associated with STEM education and/or sustainable living.