Contributions doubled in the latest Cares At Christmas campaign that encourages businesses to provide parcels to voluntary organisations.

Project co-ordinator Phil Hunt, a partnershipbroker for Business in the Community, is now assessing final figures but it is already clear that the initiative has already broken previous successes.

Sixty companies took part in the campaign that enables employees to provide gifts for local people and, with nearly all the feedback returned, the number of packs donated has already topped 4,623 with a value of #61,958 – double the amount achieved in 2005.

Phil said: "This is a tremendous response. We got support from a wide range of businesses, including smaller ones, and it is a great way of getting employees involved in something that can make the difference."

Businesses received a matching-service to ensure their gift donations are sent to relevant community groups in their local area who are working with clients including children, older people, disadvantaged families or the homeless.

Phil added: "It is encouraging that businesses want to take part and see the benefits.

It was a good campaign and we are delighted with the results. The feedback is showing that the employees enjoyed taking part and it was a good experience."

The campaign attracts support from a diverse range of businesses including National Grid, sponsoring Cares At Christmas for a second year.

The campaign, that won the support of more than 2,300 volunteers, is just one part of National Grid’s corporate social responsibility strategy.

Trish Handsley, the energy company’s community relations officer, based at the national headquarters on Warwick Technology Park, helps to coordinate the company’s support for the campaign.

"Cares at Christmas has been a tremendous success and it is excellent how it can involve such a wide range of employees," said Trish.

"Many say how it really feels good to doing something like this at Christmas and to help families have a better time."

The company is likely to get involved with the project again but there are a wide range of initiatives still on the go by different groups of employees.

Through the Business in the Community’s Cares campaign teams support voluntary groups like the Wildlife Trust and other employees are reading mentors for students. Another favourite is the Bath Place Community Centre, thrown a lifeline by the company, and now used on a regular basis for meetings.

Trish explained: "Our community investment is offering practical support and we have moved away, like a lot of companies, from just making donations. We want to share our skills and develop our people through engagement with local community groups.

"We do that with our team building days. They will not be going orienteering or quad biking but instead will be doing challenges that are suggested by Cares that support communities."

The team building challenges often give other employees, who may not be involved in day-to-day management, an opportunity to take the lead.

"We look at ways that challenges and involvement will benefit the business and this might be through individual’s professional development," said Trish.

"We develop our employees through team building challenges and hope this gives them an insight and experience that ultimately will benefit the company."

She added: "If an employee can feel that a challenge motivates and, by the end of the experience, they feel they have made a real difference then it has been worthwhile."