Giving our staff the opportunity to grow and develop outside the parameters of their role is something we are keen to foster. Georgia, a senior researcher in our Lancashire office, has just returned from an incredible three-month sabbatical to Gulu, Uganda where she volunteered at charity, Ordinary Hero.
Founded in 2019 by Craig and Janine Robinson, Ordinary Hero, aims to relieve some of the stresses of poverty within the communities that live there. Over the years, Ordinary Hero has run multiple programmes from educational sponsorships, construction projects to skill workshops and recreational activities. Their strategy is to work in partnership with local leaders and community members and deliver projects that have real and tangible impacts to their communities.
Whilst out there, Georgia helped to support key projects and plan activities designed to help children and their caregivers whilst they were awaiting HIV treatment. She also volunteered in some of Ordinary Hero’s recreational activities (running a skateboarding after school club) giving children an opportunity to have fun and do something they enjoy before returning to their home circumstances. One of the most notable projects she took part in was the Bakery Project. This is a project, run within small communities of up to 20 people, where they learn how to bake a handful of Ugandan baked goods. They receive teaching from locals, using local methods (to encourage inclusivity) and receive a class in business acumen so that they can turn their baking skill into a profit-making business. “The testimonials from this project are phenomenal. It truly helps people turn their lives around, generating a good income for their families.”
We asked Georgia why she chose to take a sabbatical and what it meant for her; “I felt compelled by Craig & Janine’s story and moved by their reason for founding the charity. So much of their culture resonated with that of Axon Moore’s, so it just seemed like a really great match.” Georgia explained that her motivation for a sabbatical stemmed from the values of Axon Moore, namely the impact of collective action and the importance in giving back to the community: “It’s taught me that people are more important than time, taking the opportunity to learn someone’s story and their circumstances is the best way to build meaningful relationships”. This ties into her work at Axon Moore and one of her motivations as a researcher. Being able to see candidates progress on their careers, offering advice and counsel and seeing their achievements are truly gratifying.
“Axon Moore have consistently invested in both my personal and professional development, I’m so grateful to be working for a business that celebrates what I do at work and in my personal life.”
Mark Turley, Managing Director at Axon Moore, explained that “We want our business to feel like a place you can come to and truly succeed, for us that means investing in the whole person and championing the ways they want to develop”.
Welcome back Georgia.
