Hammerson volunteers support creativity and inclusion projects for employee volunteering day.
Hammerson’s annual Giving Back Day brought together 28 employee volunteers on 21 May 2026 for a series of activities organised through the Marble Arch Community Programme, supporting initiatives that sparked school pupils’ imaginations and encouraged social connection among people living with learning disabilities.
At Essendine Primary School, located in North Westminster and with almost half of pupils (48%) eligible for free school meals, ten employee volunteers led an inspirational art session on building design for around 60 pupils aged 10 to 11.
Hammerson volunteers talked to pupils about the reason for different building designs.
The two Year 6 classes had spent the term learning all about architect Sir Christopher Wren, so the volunteer team set the class a mini-challenge to design their own shopping centres and airports. The activity was designed to encourage pupils to think creatively about architecture in public spaces and how buildings can bring communities together.
During the session, pupils sketched their ideas and planned layouts, with volunteers offering encouragement and sharing insights. The children’s building designs included plants to connect with nature, as well as more creative suggestions to include a zoo!
Volunteers set the pupils a challenge to design their own shopping centres.
The volunteer team at Essendine Primary School.
At the same time, 18 volunteers led 12 adults with learning disabilities and carers through a fun-filled inclusive sports day for members of LDN London, a charity based on Harrow Road that supports people with learning disabilities.
The Sports Day helped boost confidence of the participants and helped challenge the false narrative that disability means inability. The volunteers and LDN London participants split into two teams, Team Orange and Team Lime, to take part in an egg and spoon race, bean bag balancing race among others.
In a closely contested 12 rounds of games, the scores finished level at 6-6 and forced a tie-break involving a nominated player from each team throwing a ball into a basket at increasingly difficult distances. It was Team Lime that landed the last basket to win the trophy.
Team Orange!
The egg and spoon race.
A closely contested race day.
The volunteer team that led the Inclusive Sports Day.
Thank you to the amazing teams of Hammerson volunteers who led both activities and kindly donated craft materials and sports equipment for the sessions.
The two BID-facilitated activities were part of 16 company-wide activities that took place in locations across the UK, France and Ireland on 21 May 2026.
If you are a Marble Arch BID member and would like to find out more about the wide range of community engagement and employee volunteering opportunities, please contact Phil at community@marble-arch.london.