Poppy Hainge leads Social Value at Sureserve Compliance Fire Ltd, a fire safety and compliance business working with housing associations and local authorities across the UK.
We caught up with her shortly after she spent an afternoon baking scones with residents at Audrey Needham House in Newbury. The project, delivered through A2Dominion’s Social Purpose team, became the starting point for a wider conversation about what Social Value looks like inside a business whose day job is keeping people and buildings safe.
The afternoon at Audrey Needham House already has its own story on our website. Thirty residents came together over fresh scones, tea and conversation after A2Dominion’s Social Purpose team identified an opportunity to bring people together and posted the project through Match My Project.
Ask Poppy what it says about Social Value, though, and she doesn’t begin with the numbers.
“Social Value is about responding to what people actually want and need instead of focusing on the biggest activity possible. I don’t think size determines Social Value. The most important thing is whether you’ve made a meaningful difference to the people you’re trying to support.”
Local community organisations already understand their areas. They know where people need support, where residents may feel isolated and which activities could make a genuine difference.
Poppy’s team starts there.
Instead of deciding internally what communities might benefit from, they respond to needs identified by their partners, whether it’s a resident event, a food bank running low or a community activity that simply needs someone willing to help.
Match My Project has become one of the ways these conversations turn into action.
Through Match My Project, Sureserve Compliance Fire Ltd can see opportunities posted by community organisations and respond directly. In this case, A2Dominion’s Social Purpose team had already spoken to residents, shaped the project and identified exactly what was needed before Sureserve became involved.
Geraldine Swain from A2Dominion described Sureserve as, “a trusted supplier committed to delivering projects to a very high standard.”
For Poppy, the reputation comes from showing up consistently.
Her team records volunteering hours, funding and community activity through Sureserve’s chosen Social Value reporting platform, but she believes the numbers only tell part of the story.
“You need the numbers to demonstrate Value, but you also need the human side to understand what that Value actually means.”
Alongside the data, the team gathers photographs, feedback and conversations with residents and community partners. These moments reveal the impact that spreadsheets cannot capture, whether someone feels less isolated or gains the confidence to join another activity.
When asked what advice she would give community organisations looking to work with businesses like Sureserve, her answer is to,
“Be specific about the need, be clear about what success looks like, and make it easy to say yes.”
Projects with a clear purpose and a well-defined need are often the easiest for businesses to support.
Since January, Sureserve has delivered more than £60,000 of Social Value through volunteering, donations, employment support and resident activities.
For Poppy, the figure isn’t the finish line.
She’s more interested in building partnerships that continue beyond a single project, working alongside housing providers and community organisations over the long term.
Fire safety will always be Sureserve’s primary role. Nonetheless, Poppy sees a clear connection between the company’s day-to-day work and its approach to Social Value.
Thanks, Poppy!
About Match My Project
Match My Project connects community organisations with local businesses to deliver Social Value. Get in touch at hello@matchmyproject.org to find out how your organisation can get started.
