Planting in the park
5th April 2019 by Hannah Land
Colleagues got stuck in the mud to work as a team and make a difference
In late March colleagues from different teams at Benenden Health joined forces to take part in one of York Cares volunteering challenges at West Bank Park in Holgate.
In the glorious sunshine the team dug, raked and planted a variety of trees and shrubs that will be enjoyed by all the community who visit the park, not to mention the insects and birds who will benefit from the improved environment.
One colleague said it was “so nice to feel I’m giving something back”, another valued the chance to meet people from other departments and get to know them better. It’s amazing how much you discover over a spade and wheelbarrow!
The experience was part of 2 weeks of induction for new members of the sales team. It provided a great team building activity for the new starters, as well as an opportunity to get out into the local community and make a difference. Benenden Health believes in the value of volunteering and how it can improve your wellbeing and offer colleagues a wide variety of opportunities to get involved in. In recent months, Benenden Health staff have planted trees and gone into older people’s homes to sing Christmas carols.
Providing opportunities for colleagues to volunteer helps improve engagement, which is one of the reasons we were recognised as one of the Sunday Times Top 50 Not for Profits to Work for.