Four-legged residents at Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter were given a helping hand today (27 Sep) thanks to local procurement organisation NEPO and water retail supplier, Wave.

In a bid to make a difference to the lives of the animals awaiting adoption, Wave worked with partners to assist the shelter staff with a variety of tasks. This included cleaning, feeding, playing with the animals, and helping with general maintenance around the shelter.

Organised by NEPO’s sole water supplier as part of their ongoing commitment to social value and community engagement, a total of 20 volunteers clocked up valuable volunteering hours, with representatives from Wave, NEPO, Sunderland City Council, Darlington Borough Council, Northumberland County Council and Believe Housing.

Energy Lead Laura Kyle meets Nelly at Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter.

Social value is an important part of NEPO’s procurement process, ensuring suppliers offer additional value as part of their bids. This takes many different forms including offering training, apprenticeships, as well as community volunteering days.

Laura Kyle, Energy Lead at NEPO, said: “Social value is integral to everything we do at NEPO, its built into every framework that we deliver, from inception all the way through to contract delivery. It was incredibly rewarding to work with Wave to contribute to such a worthy cause today.”

Jane Austin, HR Director at Wave, commented: "Our water retail services are only the tip of the iceberg; we pride ourselves on being, and delivering, so much more than that. Our commitment to social value is at the heart of Wave and it's great to work with customers who share our passion to make a difference to our local communities. There is something special about employees volunteering alongside our customers to give something back and help a charity. As an organisation of animal lovers, we were thrilled to spend a day at the Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter supporting the work they do in this region.”

Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter was established in 1896 and helps animals that are lost, unwanted, neglected, abused and abandoned. The shelter works tirelessly to rehome animals and educate the public about responsible pet ownership. They rely heavily on volunteers and donations to continue their life-saving work. For more information about Newcastle Dog & Cat Shelter or to learn how you can support their cause, visit dogandcatshelter.com.

Wave is the sole supplier for NEPO’s Water Retail Services solution (ref: NEPO311), which delivers the provision of water, wastewater and ancillary services to public sector organisations across the North East and wider UK.