Centrica at Groundwork London

Alan Fairhurst works for Centrica Business Solutions who enjoyed an Employee Volunteering Day landscaping ‘The Gravel Pit’ – the churchyad of the Nonconformist Gravel Pit Chapel, demolished in 1969.

The surviving space has been significantly overgrown and disused. Groundwork London, together with Centrica have cleared away the weeds and installed upcycled plant beds for food and flowers: transforming the abandoned land into attractive outdoor space for recreation and horticulture.

Hello Alan, what were you expecting from a day out volunteering today?

Hard work, good company; doing good things for the community.

Were your expectations met, superseded or not-met: and why?

Superseded – Great weather: great project!

What was your favourite thing about today? What has been the most rewarding aspects?

Seeing colleagues outside of the office – and in an amazing space!

How did you find the infrastructure and organisation of your time today? Was the team well supported?

Great job all-round!

Did anything surprise you?

An amazing place…

What was it like working with your colleagues on a shared project?

A breath of fresh air.

How do you think today has influenced your team building skills and group dynamic moving forward?

It made me appreciate my colleagues!

Do you feel like you have made a real difference with your work together? And How?

Yes – a start to bringing a great space back into use.

If you had to sum up to these experience in 3 words what would it be?

Enjoyable. Tough. Satisfying.

Would you be interested in doing more team volunteering for the local community?

Yes – I already volunteer locally.

Do you have any other thoughts?

A welcoming and organised team.