We spoke to Tom Mills Webb, Chief Commercial Officer for THG Beauty, about the Beauty SLT’s recent volunteering day with FareShare, Greater Manchester (GM)— the UK’s national network fighting hunger and food waste. 

From sorting donations and packing orders to getting hands-on with giant pallets of carrots, the team got stuck into every part of the process. Tom shared what the day involved, how it challenged their perspectives, and why supporting causes like FareShare, GM, matters more than ever. 

Can you tell us a bit about the day — what it entailed and what you got stuck into? 

It was an early start for our group of eight, but a good one. When we arrived at FareShare, GM, we began the day with a briefing from the team. They gave us an overview of their mission, how they support communities across Greater Manchester, and why their work is so vital. It was a sobering but motivating reminder of how widespread food poverty is, even in our own backyard. 

After that, we got to work. We were split into small teams and helped out with various parts of their operations. It was everything from decanting giant pallets of carrots to order picking for charity deliveries and even tidying up the warehouse. A few of us joked that it felt like a mini THG Ingenuity fulfilment process — just on a much smaller scale! 

Was there anything that surprised you on the day? 

Even though I’d worked with FareShare, GM before, the stats around food poverty in Greater Manchester really hit home. You kind of know it’s bad, but seeing the numbers laid out makes it impossible to ignore. 

Another eye-opener was just how reliant the organisation is on volunteers. Out of their 30-person workforce, only around five are paid staff. The rest is volunteer-powered — individuals, corporate groups, whoever can give their time. That level of dependency was a lot higher than I’d realised. 

Was it physically demanding? And how did the team respond? 

There was definitely a fair bit of heavy lifting — especially since one of our team arrived a bit late so we made sure she made up for it! Jokes aside, having younger, able-bodied volunteers was really appreciated by the team at FareShare, GM.  

The team really pulled together. It actually became a bit of a team-building session, especially when we started to find faster, more efficient ways to complete the tasks — whether it was decanting carrots or packing boxes. It was fun seeing everyone’s strengths come into play. 

Did the experience bring the team closer together? 

Absolutely. It gave us a chance to connect in a totally different context, outside of our usual work environment. I’d definitely recommend it to other teams — and if you can, make it a full day rather than a half-day. The more time you can give, the more you’ll get out of it. 

Was there anything you learned that you’ll take back into your day-to-day work? 

It was more personal than professional, really. The day reminded me that it’s easy to get caught up in the cycle of home, work, stress, repeat — and forget that there are people around us who are in crisis. Taking a step back to help, even for just a few hours, reminded me how important it is to be less selfish with my time. 

On the practical side, we did combine it with a bit of a team development session in the afternoon — looking at personality types and how we work best together, which added a useful layer to the experience. 

Did it inspire you to use your volunteering days more? 

Categorically, yes. It also made me think more broadly. There are thousands of people in this building alone — if we could unlock even a fraction of that potential, it would make a huge difference. Charities are in great need of volunteers, and we’ve got people who would get a lot from it too. 

How did you feel at the end of the day? 

Exhausted — but in a good way. Physically tired, but mentally recharged. Grateful, too. Grateful that I’m in a position where I don’t need to rely on a food charity, and grateful to have had the chance to give a little back to those who do. 

Do you have plans for your next volunteering day? 

We’d love to return to FareShare, GM! We’ve also been exploring with our Head of Sustainability, Georgina Barry, about other opportunities — things like sorting clothing donations or helping charities that support mothers and children leaving unsafe homes. 

It’d be great to find something more beauty-related too- toiletries and personal care items — these can really help restore dignity and confidence for people in difficult situations. There are so many possibilities, and I think the key is finding something that’s both meaningful and manageable to keep up regularly.