PricewaterhouseCoopers UK’s annual Volunteering Excellence Awards distributed over £35,000 to ten charities and voluntary organisations, recognising their work, and the extraordinary commitment of the firm’s employees to volunteering with them.

The funds are the latest in an 11 year programme which has seen well over a quarter of a million pounds (£311,000) distributed via PwC employee volunteers who share their skills and expertise with community programmes throughout the UK.

The organisations - based in the Midlands, North of England, Scotland, Northern Ireland, London and the South East - work across the arts, animal welfare, first aid, education, sport, and children’s outreach.

PwC employees provide a variety of voluntary support ranging from management and fund raising, to painting, driving and team leading. The average length of service of the winners was four years, with some over ten years. Four £5,000 awards, and six £2,500 awards will be put towards a range of schemes and initiatives including replacing play equipment, funding a children’s experience visit to the US, refurbishment funds and educational programmes.

Ian Powell, chairman, commented: “We’re delighted to honour these exceptional people who have volunteered over 4,000 hours of their time bringing vital skills, expertise, resources and pure energy to charities and community organisations in the communities we live and work in. These awards demonstrate the extraordinary dedication and commitment of our people, and the important work these organisations do at a local level.”

Applications to the awards scheme came from all over PwC UK operations. Nearly £45,000 of funds was distributed through the firm’s standard award scheme that recognises short term voluntary commitments. Of those, 30 were nominated for Volunteering Excellence Awards, which demonstrated extraordinary contributions from volunteers through one or more of the following areas: sustained involvement, leadership, innovative use of skills and community impact.

PricewaterhouseCoopers was recently awarded the CommunityMark in recognition of the firm’s pioneering commitment to and activities in communities throughout the UK. In addition, the firm’s community partners recognised PricewaterhouseCoopers as being best in class in community programmes.