Owain Johnston-Barnes
Published May 29, 2017 at 11:17 am (Updated May 29, 2017 at 11:28 am)

Left to right: Clare Mello, YouthNet; Susan Starling, PALS; Mark Outerbridge, HSBC CEO;
Diana Antonition, HSBC; Major Hepditch, Salvation Army; William Luu, HSBC; Calvin Ming,
Salvation Army and Chari Johnston, HSBC (Photograph supplied)

HSBC Bermuda staff raised $10,000 for charities of their choice by volunteering across the island.

As part of the bank’s personal volunteering initiative, the bank has engaged with The Centre on Philanthropy’s Volunteer Team Tracker programme, with more than 50 staff members signing up.

Since 2006, the staff members have logged almost 3,000 volunteer hours, with the top volunteers given funds to donate to their favourite charity.

This year William Luu, corporate accountant, topped the list of volunteers and donated $3,000 to the Salvation Army.

Mr Luu said: “Volunteerism is the currency and capital that enriches not just the holder, but the community it resides and is spent in. When we all do a little something to help change the community, we help evolve the very fabric of our society.

“Giving back has become a passion for me in order to drive the change I want to see in the world, and HSBC helps to support that vision.”

He was followed by Steven Simons, sales service manager, and Chari Johnston, project manager applications, who donated $2,500 to PALS and the Bermuda Sea Cadet Corp respectively.

Meanwhile, Diana Antonition and Katrina Simons, who logged more than 20 hours of volunteer time, donated $1,000 to the Bermuda Zoological Society and YouthNet.

Mark Watkinson, CEO at HSBC Bermuda, said: “I am extremely proud of our many employees who continue to give back to our community through volunteering.

“HSBC Bermuda understands the importance of the employees’ volunteering efforts and will continue to support them so that they have the time to focus on important causes, from which Bermuda can only benefit.”

Jenice Germain, volunteer and engagement coordinator at The Centre on Philanthropy, thanked the HSBC staff for their hard work supporting the community.

“Volunteers are a lifeline to non-profit organisations, and one of the most important resources they have,” she said. “The contributions made by HSBC employee volunteers are invaluable to the work of the charities they serve.

“Their donation of time, energy, and talent is inspiring and enhances the community in which we live in a tangible way.”