virtualDCS selects The Conservation Volunteers as charity of the year

virtualDCS, the Leeds-based cloud service provider (CSP) and business continuity specialist, has proudly announced its charity partnership with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV), naming the organisation as its charity of the year.

TCV, a not-for-profit group dedicated to environmental education and conservation, works to create, improve, and care for green spaces across the UK. Through this collaboration, virtualDCS aims to support TCV’s vital work in promoting health and wellbeing, environmental preservation, and community development.

The partnership will see virtualDCS employees actively participating in volunteer days and an ongoing project to transform the meadow area at Hollybush Conservation Centre in Leeds, a key site for TCV. The first volunteer day took place on 9 October, with four members of the virtualDCS team – including CEO Richard May – leading the charge. The company has already raised approximately £1,200, which will be donated to support this project and future TCV initiatives.

Richard May, CEO of virtualDCS, shared his excitement about the partnership: "As virtualDCS continues to grow, we recognise the importance of giving back to our communities and supporting causes that align with our values. The Conservation Volunteers stood out to us because of their local impact and focus on the environment and social wellbeing.

This partnership is the perfect fit for our new CSR strategy, and we’re excited to make a tangible difference working with TCV communities and projects across the UK. We’re proud to contribute not only financially but also through our team’s hands-on involvement in transforming green spaces that are essential for healthy communities."

The Conservation Volunteers, whose vice president is Sir David Attenborough, has made significant strides in 2023-24, engaging over 96,000 people and transforming more than 1,300 green spaces. Their work spans England, Northern Ireland, and Scotland, supporting all types of people – including individuals with learning disabilities and youth groups – in creating vibrant, sustainable environments. Their initiatives, such as the ‘Green Gym,’ are designed to improve both physical and mental wellbeing through outdoor activities.

Alex Mason, senior project officer of health and wellbeing at TCV, thanked virtualDCS for its contribution: “We’d like to say thank you to virtualDCS from the volunteers at TCV Hollybush. Your kind donation will go towards improving the biodiversity of our site. We have recently created two new pond habitats, a bog and a deep woodland trench, therefore, the donation will go towards planting these, along with our wildflower meadow and forest glade, with UK native plants. We’d love the team to come to visit in the spring and summer once these areas are in full bloom, and look forward to seeing more of the team for more volunteering days soon.”

virtualDCS’s growth over the past year has enabled the company to establish a more structured corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. With a growing team of 24 employees and new business opportunities with Veeam® generating an additional £1 million annually, the company is now in a position to make a sustained commitment to charitable causes. As part of this strategy, every virtualDCS employee is encouraged to volunteer one day per year with TCV, alongside an additional day to support a charity of their choice.

This partnership marks a key milestone for virtualDCS as it continues to scale and give back to the communities in which it operates. The company looks forward to supporting further TCV projects over the next 12 months, helping to create greener, healthier spaces for all.