Corporate volunteering conjures up images of pounding the road in a charity run or away days planting trees or picking litter. But there is a more valuable asset for surveyors than their best 10km time or their manual labour, and that is their professional judgement.
In Rumney, south Wales, a dedicated team of RICS members have employed the same rigour they apply to commercial projects to Rumney Forum. The forum, says CEO and unpaid trustee Kath Wakeham, “works with individuals and families facing a wide range of challenges, from food insecurity and financial hardship to social isolation and access to essential services.” These range from a weekly food bank to a daily community fridge, school uniform exchange and a community café.
Graham Craven, RICS’ regional engagement manager for Wales explains how this project came to his and the RICS Wales Board’s attention: “We were talking about the direction that the board could take and one of our members mentioned that we could be doing something around social value. And it just so happened that I knew Rumney Forum from a previous life and so I suggested that.
“I went to meet Kath and Mike (Wakeham, chair of The Rumney Forum Trustees) to see if they wanted help, and RICS’ help in particular and thankfully they said yes.”
At a further board meeting in Cardiff in late 2023, Kath and Mike met with RICS CEO Justin Young. “He became our executive endorser of the scheme and we took it from there,” says Craven.
The focus of RICS’ members’ efforts was the Rumney Forum building, says Kath Wakeham: “Before RICS members became involved, the building itself was in a difficult condition. Like many older community buildings, it needed significant attention and expertise that charities simply do not always have access to. There were concerns around maintenance, compliance, long-term sustainability and how we could make the best use of the space for the community.”
Craven explains how they were able to help: “We could use the surveying skills of the board members and the firms they use to, for example, film and record inside the building. They did a Matterport survey, as well as a drone survey to map the façade and roof and the surrounding areas to see if there were any obstacles.”
Matt Haynes MRICS, RICS Wales board chair and associate director with Glyndwr Consultancy, adds: “Those drone surveys established whether the roof was okay. I reached out to my supply chain to commit to doing the more tangible elements of work and it grew from there. Roofers visited to survey the roof, and a builder and structural engineer came to examine the façade and any cracks that were apparent to see if any remedial works were necessary.”
Photos by Matt Haynes
Legacy issues to fix
It became clear the electrics weren’t up to regulation compliance and because of the legacy roof issues, they were running off emergency lighting, with bags attached to certain parts of the ceiling to catch any falling rainwater. Fortunately, a team consisting of GI Construction Solutions, collaborating with Knauf and SIG who provided new ceiling materials, plus electricians JW Bowkett managed to remedy the situation. That meant compliant re-wiring and a new distribution board, as well as grid-mounted LED lighting which brought new life into the forum.
There was also legacy work with the pipework, or as Haynes colourfully puts it: “The toilets were basically one flush away from exploding. We had a CCTV drainage survey and from that we were able to determine where the blockages were starting and rectify the situation."
The programme included contributions from a raft of local firms, including Atlantic Recycling providing skips, Dan Stacey Construction providing general building services, Denvalco which replaced the damaged windows and Dragon Signs which replaced the external signage.
With all the work going on, another key consideration was storage. The containers, provided by Gibbon Hire for this temporary storage solution, came courtesy of the carpentry skills of local firm R&M Carpenters. Their involvement was though the company’s group managing director and another Welsh RICS Board member, Martyn Osborne MRICS.
R&M Williams’ social value manager, Freya Church was another key member of the Rumney Forum project team. She says: “The most important thing was finding out what they needed, rather than us going in with a budget and saying what you’re going to do. We really got to find out how the forum ran, what was important to them, and how we, as different cohorts of people, could support it over what turned out to be two and a half years.”
Church was able to note not only the repairs but the volunteering time that was associated with the project. “There was the planning behind how many people we had and what we're going to achieve, and who was doing what. Graham and I would then play to people's strengths. For example, some people can lift and some people can't.” Using a tracker, Church was able to calculate that the Rumney Forum equated to more than £120,000 in social value.
This type of reporting can be used not only for internal business metrics but also as part of competitive bids to demonstrate what firms have been done in the local community. For its part, other activities R&M Williams has been involved with include local employment, offering opportunities to those leaving prison and veterans and also going in to schools to talk to pupils about the opportunities in the built environment.
“Before RICS members became involved, the building itself was in a difficult condition” Kath Wakeham, Rumney Forum
Photos by Matt Haynes
Surveyors who want to volunteer
As for surveyors looking to volunteer, Haynes says: “My advice would be, do it! With Rumney Forum, you’re seeing you’re making a difference not only to the trustees and the people who run the forum but the people who actually use it. Surveyors are in a good position because boards or the membership within their region are made up of pathways which essentially cover the entire built environment life cycle.
“Building surveyors can look at existing premises, and scope it out and spec it based on their expertise. Project managers and quantity surveyors are going to have that supply chain that they work closely with and who, in my experience, want to get involved, and are happy to do it.”
Craven shares his experience of the project: “The people there were so very grateful for everything we provided, they worked with such good grace and humour, it made the volunteering a really pleasurable experience. The work that you put into it, you’ll get something out in a different way.”
This is a sentiment that resonates with Church too. “It feels like there are multiple benefits for the individuals and also for the organisations involved. You’re coming out of your office environment or your usual day at work and giving back your time. And I've met so many people that I didn't know that I'm that I'm now connected with as well, just from volunteering.”
In terms of practical things organisations looking to volunteer can do, she adds: “Find out what's important in the community that needs some extra support. That might be a community centre or it might be something to do with education. Talking to students offers a way for RICS members to give back and it’s great social value; you can be really creative with it.”
By stepping outside their billable hours, these RICS members and their volunteering colleagues have shown that they are not only supporting their communities but honing their skills in high-pressure, resource-scarce environments.
As Kath Wakeham says: “Charities and community organisations often desperately need professional expertise but may not know where to find it or feel able to ask. Even small amounts of time, advice or guidance can have a huge impact. The knowledge RICS professionals hold can genuinely help protect and strengthen important community spaces and services.”
