Green fingered KCOM employees volunteer at Burton Constable grounds and CASE allotments

This week two teams of KCOM employees dug out their gardening gloves and volunteered at Burton Constable grounds and CASE Training allotments.

KCOM’s Legal and Risk team helped replace tree guards at historic Burton Constable Hall as part of its environmental conservation project to preserve the historic landscape.

Fifteen old wooden tree guards were removed and replaced with new metal ones to protect the oak, lime, horse chestnut and sweet chestnut trees from browsing sheep and help them grow along one of the grounds new walks.

Sonia Stott, KCOM’s Head of Risk and Compliance, said: “I’d like to thank Dave, the Grounds and Parklands Officer, and his team of volunteers at Burton Constable for a fantastic day at this beautiful historic East Yorkshire hall and grounds. The team and I had a brilliant time helping them replace tree guards and learning about the fascinating history of the Hall.”

Burton Constable Hall is heavily dependent on volunteers to help maintain the 350-acre ground and the Elizabethan hall.

Susan Hopkinson, Director of Burton Constable Foundation said: “We were delighted to welcome such an enthusiastic group of volunteers from KCOM to help us in caring for the historic parkland.  I do hope that the team will pay us a visit over the summer to admire their hard work – we now have fifteen splendid new tree guards to show for their day at Burton Constable.  Many thanks to everyone who volunteered.”

Volunteers from KCOM’s Finance team also got their hands dirty at CASE Training allotments this week. The local charity is dedicated to creating better opportunities for people living with a learning disability. The charity’s allotments provide a relaxed, calm environment for its trainees to develop gardening, DIY and teamwork skills.   

The KCOM volunteers helped with weeding, dead heading, grass cutting to keep the allotments in full bloom.

Sally Hill from CASE said: “Thank you KCOM for sending your wonderful army of volunteers to help on our allotments today. Everyone worked so hard in the extremely hot weather to mow the grass and neaten the borders with tools that needed sharpening and weren’t the easiest to use.”

As part of its range of community initiatives KCOM gives all employees two paid days a year to volunteer for one of the company’s community activities - or choose to volunteer at a charity close to their own heart.

Diane Wray, who is part of KCOM’s Finance team, said she loved being part of the day.

“It was lovely to meet some of the trainees from the GROW Project and get a better understanding of the brilliant work that CASE do,” she said.

“It was a great opportunity to get together as a team to do something that makes a difference.  Volunteering is a wonderful thing to do and it’s fantastic that the company gives us time to take part in events like this as part of work.”

* To find out more about Burton Constable Hall click here

* To find out more about CASE Training’s work click here

* To find out more about the benefits of working at KCOM, including days off to volunteer for a charity of your choice click here