As part of our Edgefolio4Good initiative, each employee gets five days a year to dedicate to volunteering initiatives of their choosing – whether it’s skills-based, social-mobility related, an eco-project, or anything else that makes a real difference. Employees typically arrange this themselves, selecting a charity and activity that appeals to them. However, as good intentions can all too often fall to the wayside when life gets busy, we thought it would be interesting to set up something more structured, for those who would love to get stuck in but have found it hard to source opportunities.
So, last week marked our first-ever group volunteering day with The Conservation Volunteers (TCV). TCV is an organisation focused on environmental conservation and community impact, promoting the sustainability of green spaces through hands-on volunteering work. In total nine Edgefolio team members took part, spanning a range of roles and teams.
The work begins
Our day kicked off with a briefing from the site manager, who introduced us to the park’s unique background and the TCV mission. The site, London’s Greenwich Peninsula Ecology Park, is a four-acre bio-diverse urban wetland. Originally, this whole area would have been a vast wetland. While almost all of that has been lost, man-made ecological sites like these become havens for species that would have once naturally thrived in the region. Despite being surrounded by the industrial yards that run along the riverbank and which have historically polluted much of the environment, the site is highly diverse in wildlife and plant species.
Our group took on a variety of tasks, starting with cutting back the meadow to encourage healthy regrowth for the coming year. This process, known as coppicing, is essential to support the ecosystem’s natural cycle and keep the area sustainable. We also tackled some rosethorns and willows, which needed to be cut back using saws. This task was challenging but, admittedly, quite fun. Finally, some of the team helped clear overgrowth on a cockle shell path, meaning the site now has a well-defined pathway.
One memorable moment was when the site manager pointed out some newts living around the wetland. While common across the UK, they’re notoriously difficult to spot without a trained eye, adding an exciting glimpse into the hidden life of this urban oasis.
Taking it all in
Given that it’s already mid-November, we felt quite lucky with the weather – no rain, which is as much as you can hope for in the UK. Spending a productive day outside immersed in physical work was a refreshing break from our typical office routine working in the corporate hub that is The City. These kinds of experiences are fantastic for team bonding and they remind us of the impact we can make together.
We wrapped up the day at a local pub, enjoying some well-deserved drinks and snacks. This first group volunteering day was a big success and it certainly won’t be the last. A huge thanks to The Conservation Volunteers for organising such a meaningful and well-run day, and for all they do to keep London’s green spaces thriving.
Be sure to follow along for updates on our future Edgefolio4Good initiatives, and check out TCV if you’re interested in getting involved. There’s a volunteer opportunity out there for everyone, and it just might surprise you how rewarding it is to give back.