Linking for Businesses
MBG has worked with Lloyds Banking Group, British Gas and most recently St. James's Place Wealth Management to deliver linking trips for staff.
The trips are delivered by professional expedition provider Venture Force and are an outstanding experience for employees and employee development.
We have provided schemes for apprentices and graduates to tie into their wider training programmes.
If your business is interested in visiting Gunjur, please contact us by email at info@mbg.org.
St. James’s Place
For St. James's Place we provided blocks of three trips back to back with around 15 people per trip drawn from around the business, acting as a reward and recognition scheme for high performing staff up to senior manager level who had been at the business for at least two years. Aimed at staff retention and leadership and partnership skills development, after 2 years 95% of participants were still at the business and it was one of the most high impact training opportunities in the business. Participants from one year could put themselves forward to be deputy leaders the following year.
You can read about the impact of the St Jame’s Place trips to Gunjur here.
2019 Trips
Three groups from St. James's Place travelled to Gunjur to work with WasteAid on a DiFD funded project on plastic recycling.
Each group of 10 people, with two Venture Force leaders, spent a week living in Gunjur building a new office/changing rooms and factory site in the south-eastern part of Gunjur on the Sefo road. The light industry is piloting an appropriate technology to melt waste plastic and turn it into durable floor and ceiling tiles. WasteAid is in the second year of the two year project to test the technology in the hope of taking it across Africa. The project is lead on the ground by Babucarr E Camara.
The group also spent two days living with a local Gunjurian family spread out around the village. Participants were aged 20 to 65 but all were active on the project working in unusually hot 35 degrees heat.
2018 Trips
Two groups from St. James's Place travelled to Gunjur in November to follow up on the work by the 2018 Summer Group.
Each group of 10 people, with two Venture Force leaders, spent a week living in Gunjur building a store and crop preparation unit at the revitalised Marlborough Garden.
The group also spent two days living with a local Gunjurian family spread out around the village. Participants were aged 20 to 65 but all were active on the project working in 33 degree heat.
St. James’s Place 2017 Trip Video
Lloyds Bank
In 2009 MBG developed a close relationship with the Duke of Edinburgh Award and the Lloyds Bank and British Gas apprenticeship schemes.
A total now of 12 groups of Lloyds employees have each spent a week in Gunjur. Before going they fundraise for their trip and to support a construction project that they will be involved in while in Gunjur. Each member of the group lives with a different family and experiences the warmth, generosity and hospitality that the people of Gunjur afford to all visitors. The groups have been involved in constructing two small buildings which house two diesel powered milling machines for rice and millet which obviate the need for women to pound their rice and millet by hand over hours using a mortar and pestle.
The 2013 group built a concrete posted fence surrounding a 12 acre women's vegetable garden to prevent marauding cattle from destroying and eating their vegetables. This replaced a fence built from traditional materials by students from Marlborough College and St John's School in 1999 which was becoming rather patchy after 14 years!
The Lloyds trips remains a successful MBG activity which delivers valued projects focused on supporting the women of Gunjur, has a significant educational and world view changing impact on young people who will be future senior bank managers and delivers useful funds to both Gunjur and MBG. You can read Alex Davies’ trip co-ordinator report here.
Lloyds Bank 2014 Trip Video
