On 2nd October around 20 of our team members donned gardening gloves and gathered at the Diamond Jubilee Wood in Whitehead, Co. Antrim. As its name suggests, the wood was planted in 2012 to mark the anniversary of Queen Elizabeth II. Since then, the local council relies heavily on volunteers for the upkeep of the woodland.

The team’s mission was to ‘free’ as many saplings as possible from grass and weeds, applying mulch to their base to help keep them clear of such growth restrictions. Literally grabbing this challenge with both hands, everyone pulled together to cover an impressive expanse of the young woodland.

Our efforts were much appreciated by Carrickfergus Borough Council who wrote to thank us and say:

“The staff members involved were absolutely fantastic and a real credit to the company. They were so hardworking and enthusiastic and really made a difference to the woodland here.”

As for the team – we thoroughly enjoyed the day, especially as the weather was unusually kind! Although it will take many decades for the wood to mature, we take great pleasure in knowing they helped provide a place of natural beauty for future generations.