Giving Back To Nature

Last month, our marketing team took a day out of the office to volunteer with the National Trust, helping with their conservation mission at the Ebworth site nestled in the Cotswolds.

We set out to plant hedgerows using a mixture of native trees and shrubs to create a natural corridor for wildlife. These plants not only provide shelter but also blossom throughout the year, offering essential food for pollinating insects. 

In this blog, our team members share their favourite moments and how volunteering brought us closer while helping the environment.

“The volunteering day at Ebworth was a great opportunity to get outdoors, socialise with the team and learn a new skill. The National Trust organisers were friendly and full of knowledge, telling us about the history of the site and the significance of the trees we were planting. 

“The landscape was beautiful and being outdoors all day served as a well-deserved break from the laptop for us all. Despite the weather being wet and a bit chilly, we didn’t let it dampen our spirits. We all got stuck in and worked hard as a team.

“Tom, our guide, was super helpful. He gave us a tutorial on how to plant trees correctly while sharing some useful facts about the landscape and the plants. It was interesting to find out about the different types of plants and what they offer to the local wildlife once fully grown. During our induction, a Kestrel was circling above us which made for a beautiful sight.

“We planted a range of different young species, including Hawthorn, Blackthorn, Hazel, field maple and dog rose to name a few. Planting the sapling involved digging slits in the soil, placing the young trees, covering the roots, and securing each with a bamboo stick wrapped in plastic for protection as they take root securely in the ground.

“By 3pm, together we’d planted an impressive 750 trees! There were talks about coming back in a few years for a walk around Ebworth to see what our efforts have grown into.

“I’d recommend volunteering with the National Trust. Not only are you outside all day surrounded by beautiful landscape, but you’re also learning great skills and meeting lovely people along the way.”

“It was brilliant to spend quality time in the outdoors with the rest of the team, getting to know colleagues better, especially as we’ve had new people join the team recently and because we don’t always work closely with all members of the wider team.

"To spend time together outside an office or Teams call created a far more relaxed environment where we could learn more about each other, which I think has helped improve working relationships."