A team of volunteers has been getting its hands dirty at an environmental centre in Buckinghamshire.
Supporting the environmental regeneration charity Groundwork, 15 of Skanska’s senior managers carried out important maintenance work at Iver Environment Centre.
During a day of intensive work they erected a giant tepee, cleared overgrown space to create a patio, and painted a new pergola. They also demolished an old pizza oven before setting the foundations for its replacement.
The group – all members of which are connected to infrastructure operations – donated its time through Skanska’s Lend a Hand volunteer programme.
Groundwork’s centre manager Debra Frankiewicz said:
“The work Skanska has done contributes to allowing children to access and reconnect with nature which helps them to develop their own personal skills.”
First opened in 1990, the centre aims to promote an enjoyment of the natural environment amongst people of all ages and abilities.
Cassandra Cann, a senior HR manager at Skanska, said:
“It’s so important that people appreciate the natural environment and want to get involved. The staff and volunteers here at the centre make an amazing contribution towards that goal, in particular their work with children and people with disabilities.
“We’re all leaving the centre feeling exhausted but it was a fantastic project to be involved in.”
Offering five inspirational habitats set across 2.5 acres, the centre is staffed by a team of educators, rangers, horticultural therapists and volunteers.