Companies team up to give charitable homes a facelift

Some 350 staff from eight leading organisations rolled up their sleeves to carry out voluntary refurbishment works at eight institutional homes around Malta and Gozo.

They were marking the seventh Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) Day celebrated annually in Malta on March 19, the Feast of St Joseph the Worker.

The participating organisations were Deloitte, Gasan Group of Companies, HSBC Malta, M. Demajo Group, Middlesea Group, Mizzi Organisation, Simonds Farsons Cisk plc and the Vodafone Malta Foundation.

The institutions that benefited were St Patrick's School in Sliema; Dar Vairita in Marsascala; Għabex (Appoġġ Agency); Angela House in Guardamangia, the Richmond Foundation Hostel in Floriana; St Joseph Home in Sta Venera; the Good Shepherd Home for Refugees in Balzan; and the Arka Foundation in Gozo.

The full day started with Mass at St Joseph Home in Sta Venera for all the employees participating in the maintenance programme, following which groups went their separate ways to the respective homes identified for refurbishment. There were about 45 workers at each home and works varied from whitewashing of walls, to structural works, soft decorations and landscaping. All works were sponsored through one common fund pooled among the participating organisations.

Archbishop Paul Cremona and the newly-appointed Minister for Social Policy John Dalli paid a visit to Għabex.