Middlesbrough Allotments Get Makeover Thanks to Team of Corporate Volunteers
Environmental and community charity, Groundwork NE & Cumbria, enlisted the help of one of its corporate sponsors, BeaconHouse Events, to assist with a major makeover of allotments on a community allotment site on Cargo Fleet Lane, Middlesbrough.
A team of volunteers braved the hot weather this week (w/c Monday 11 August) to help transform the allotments in preparation for community gardening workshops and confidence-building sessions with local residents.
As part of one of their ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) volunteer days, the team from BeaconHouse Events, guided by gardening experts from Groundwork, donned work boots and gardening gloves to help carry out a range of maintenance and improvement tasks on the site. Their efforts included painting allotment sheds, constructing raised planting beds and generally tidying up the site. Preparing the beds for vegetable planting, moving compost and planting were also carried out during the half-day volunteering session.
Following the allotment clean-up, Groundwork NE & Cumbria will be hosting a series of community sessions designed to encourage local people to get involved and enjoy the newly refurbished allotment gardens. Groundwork NE & Cumbria’s Communities team will teach people how to grow fruit and vegetables, help build community confidence, to encourage people to take on the management of their own plots.
BeaconHouse Events, a Newcastle-based events company, annually donates to support Groundwork NE & Cumbria’s Nature-based Solution projects to balance the carbon emissions produced by their events, as well as taking part in staff volunteer days.
Commenting on the volunteer day, Mike Dent from Groundwork NE & Cumbria said:
“We’re incredibly grateful to the team at BeaconHouse Events for their efforts in transforming our allotments and for all their generous fundraising and donations. Thanks to their hard work and ongoing support, the site is now ready to welcome the community when public sessions begin in September. Their commitment to our charity has made a lasting impact.”
Sarah Thackray, co-founder of BeaconHouse Events and voluntary director of Groundwork NE & Cumbria said: “Sustainability is at the heart of our business, and we’ve been truly inspired by Groundwork’s environmental initiatives and their work to improve both places and people’s lives. I began working with Groundwork NE & Cumbria in 2019 as a trustee, where I supported their trading arm to raise vital funds; it is one of our chosen charities, but I still prefer volunteer days as my favourite way to get involved. Our team loved getting their hands dirty, knowing their efforts would help transform this space and create a lifeline for local people who will benefit from the allotments.”
Groundwork NE & Cumbria Community Allotment sessions will be held at Town farm Allotments in Middlesbrough every Thursday between 1-3.30 starting from 4th of September.
To get involved contact Michael Dent (Open spaces officer) on 07918777983