‘Tis the season for giving and a team of water workers and apprentices from Essex & Suffolk Water have been giving their time to help local charity Wilderness Foundation UK.
Members of Essex & Suffolk Water’s maintenance team spent a day volunteering for the Wilderness Foundation UK and with some hard work and determination were able to completely transform the charity’s allotment site in Chelmsford.
Paul Roberts who works in Essex & Suffolk Water’s Maintenance team as Regional Maintenance Manager and coordinated the day of volunteering said: “It is great to find a charity that provides real value to a wide selection of society. It makes me proud to look back on how much the team achieved. Having a real “before and after” project outcome that fits the company Just an Hour scheme provides great motivation”.
Aaron Totham, Essex Maintenance Apprentice at Essex & Suffolk Water said: “It felt like we were on DIY SOS at the start, but the finished result felt like we had done some good for the community and was really rewarding.”
The water company has supported many local fundraising efforts through its Cheque It Out employee funding and its volunteering programme, Just an Hour, which allows employees to give a minimum of 15 hours every year to support community and charitable causes close to their hearts.
Terri Dawson, Education Officer for Wilderness Foundation UK said: “We had an absolutely brilliant day yesterday and were blown away by the team, their energy and hard work.
“We are so grateful to the team from Essex & Suffolk Water who volunteered their time at our allotments!
“They worked extremely hard throughout the day and were full of enthusiasm. Their incredible skills and hard work meant we now have a new raised bed, a cleared and usable shelter, new paths, compost sieve and cleared vegetable beds to name a few!
“The work the team put in was invaluable to the charity as it has helped rejuvenate our allotment site in Melbourne, Chelmsford where we run programmes that enable us to support vulnerable groups with often complex needs.”
