From our longstanding relationship with The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT) to food bank collections, fundraising challenges, volunteering days and our annual Charity Golf Day, Erica has helped turn charitable giving into something our whole team can be part of.

We sat down with Erica to talk about her career, almost a decade at S&G, what makes her role so varied and why supporting our communities means so much to her.

Hi Erica, thank you for joining us. Could you start off by letting us know how long you’ve been with S&G Response?

I am part way through my 10^th year, which has honestly flown by.  My name is now on our Club 10 wall of fame, then my next challenge is to see if they can put up with me until retirement which would mean reaching my 16-year year anniversary

What was your prior experience in the industry?

Wow – I have been in the automotive industry for more years than I care to remember.  I started out at the AA on the Twilight Shift dealing with uninsured losses, I then went into the Bodyshop side of the industry working my way up from receptionist to office manager and then eventually Bodyshop Manager.  I learnt basic spray techniques and panel beating then estimating.  I then moved into the realms of Accident Management dealing with Credit Hire and now in my current role with a true Claims Solution provider.  I would guess all in all I have been within the industry for around 35 years give or take and seen lots of changes.

What was it that made S&G Response stand out to you as a great place to work?

Honestly, I was at a time in my life where I wanted a complete change; I had been in a business for 13 years and I had lost my drive and passion for that business and what it stood for.  I told myself I wanted to leave the industry but when I came and met Andy, Nik and Nick it just felt right; they were a young dynamic board who were not afraid to take calculated risks to take the company to new heights whilst ensuring they were looking after their people along the journey.   I remember saying to them I don’t do spreadsheets, reports or long meetings for meetings sake but I will do anything else

Could you tell us a little more about your role as EA & Office Manager. What does a typical working day look like for you?

I honestly don’t have a typical working day; no two days are ever the same. My role is so varied, which is exactly how I like it.  I could be arranging travel and accommodation for business trips one minute, carrying out corporate inductions wit new starters the next . Have a facilities issue the next minute and then be arranging a Charity Golf Day or accommodating visitors or just talking to a colleague about a life issue the next.

What would you say is your number 1 favourite thing about your job?

That’s a really hard question as I truly do love every part of my role (well maybe not unblocking a toilet!).  If I had to choose, I would say event organising whether that’s a charity event or an event for our employees.

Excellent, thanks, Erica. How did you first become involved in leading the charity and volunteer initiatives at S&G Response?

When I first joined S&G we were just starting out on our CSR journey and as I had previous experience I was asked to get involved. The first challenge we did was with Paul Wilkinson when he shaved his head in aid of Cancer Research (it was a definite improvement ). 

How do you decide which causes to support? Is there a particular focus or theme that guides your decisions?

We like to, wherever possible, help charities within our local community.  Particularly the smaller less advertised charities, such as local food banks or hospices.  We have an annual cause which for the past 8 years has been The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust who ware now Platinum members of and I have recently joined them as an Ambassador, but we also support charities that have a special meaning to a particular employee.  We try to involve as many of our people as possible and it’s not always about raising funds there is also the volunteering side of CSR.

Could you describe a moment in your charity work that has been particularly memorable for you?

We did a food bank collection a few years ago and I literally couldn’t get through the doors of our main reception for the number of items that had been donated.  We then went and distributed the items to several food banks and homeless shelters and we also as a team volunteered to pack and hand out the food parcels.  It was so humbling and made me think about how lucky as an individual I am; I have a roof over my head each night, food on the table and a loving family but there are those who don’t know where their next meal is coming from or if they are going to be safe in the doorway they have found to sleep in for the night.

In what ways does the charity work at S&G align with the company’s broader values and goals?

S&G is passionate about how we treat people.  From the Company’s modest beginnings in 2009, S&G prided itself on its innovative products combined with a focus on providing great customer service.  This focus on customer service and treating others with empathy throughout our working day goes hand in hand with encouraging and cultivating a charitable mindset.  Charity is now a part of our culture and I’d like to think our people recognise that and are proud of the difference we make to good causes.

What’s next for S&G’s charity work in the future?

There are always things going on at S&G and plenty of events coming up.

We have just completed our annual Golf Day and a cycle challenge where 8 people attempted to cycle from Stonehenge to Wilmslow in one day covering 200 miles both in aid of The Children’s Adventure Farm Trust (CAFT). This month we will be supporting one of our employees in his families quest to raise funds to purchase special buggies for children with special needs. In September we will be entering a 5-a-side football team into an industry event to raise funds for Shelter.

As we then come into the Halloween and Christmas period, we will be launching our Christmas Appeal and our employees will be taking up their company benefit of volunteering days.

Looking into 2027, our Annual Golf Day is now booked in and as it will be our 10^th year of holding this event, I am sure it will be bigger and better than ever.  This is an event we take great pride in and this year we were able to raise a total of £15,320 through the generosity of our stakeholders and industry friends.  We are currently looking at planning another walking event and possibly a cycle challenge.  Along with looking into the Crazy Race that happens in our local area and maybe even entering a team into a Dragon Boat race.

And finally, what advice would you give to other companies looking to enhance their charitable efforts or get more involved in volunteer work?

Find out what excites your people, what’s their motivator?  Everybody is different dependent on the dynamics of the business.  I quickly learnt that food is a great motivator with our people, so we have small events throughout the year such as Bake Sales, Crepe Days, Lunchtime Meal Deals, they also like a challenge and are quite competitive.

Charitable efforts don’t always have to be about asking for money, volunteering opportunities are also a great way of getting your people involved along with being a great way of learning new skills and being out in the fresh air. 

Look to help the smaller less known charities within your local community they are always crying out for help and are often the charities that rely solely on the public’s help as they don’t receive government funding.

Looking ahead

From an industry career spanning around 35 years to almost a decade at S&G Response, Erica’s story reflects many of the things we value as a business: people, relationships, great service and a willingness to make a positive difference beyond our day-to-day work.

And while fundraising plays an important role in that, as Erica explains, making a difference doesn’t always mean raising money. Giving time, sharing skills and getting involved can be just as valuable.

With more volunteering opportunities, fundraising challenges and community initiatives already on the horizon, our commitment to giving back continues – driven by people across S&G who are willing to get involved.

A huge thank you to Erica for sharing her story and for everything she continues to do to bring our people and charitable initiatives together.

To explore career opportunities at S&G Response, browse our latest vacancies. Or, if you’d like to find out more about our tailored accident management and response services, get in touch with our team today.