BGH Team volunteer at Ladybird Childcare (Brinnington ) Ltd in Stockport
BGH colleagues had an eventful two days at Ladybird Childcare (Brinnington) Ltd in Stockport. The weather was not the best, but they most definitely got there in the end and were all super proud of their efforts in creating an allotment for the little ones.
Allotments ,like the one the team supported, provide children to the wonders of the natural world. They can observe the lifecycle of plants, from seed to harvest, fostering a love for nature and an appreciation of where food comes from.
Thank you to all the GM Business Growth Hub teams who helped support across the two days: Karen Dudley, Belinda Carp, Kerry Holtby, Russell Mansfield, Isabelle Farquhar, Geeta Shikotra and Giulia Molteni.
Jo Whitehead, Business Advisor – Growth Specialist at the Hub told us what was involved on the day and how it benefitted the community:
"Volunteering at a Ladybird Childcare (Brinnington) Ltd nursery in Stockport, we transformed an empty plot into a vibrant allotment, supporting outdoor play and education. Recycling waste to create planting beds, we saw firsthand how small acts of giving can profoundly impact early childhood development. This rewarding experience reaffirmed that even a brief commitment to our community can nurture and support the foundational years of young lives."
Belinda Carp, Business Advisor - Innovation Specialist at the Hub told us how the experience came about:
"Ladybird Childcare has worked with a number of teams at the Business Growth Hub and it is clear to all of us that Donna at the nursery cares deeply about the children in her care. She and her colleagues had expressed a wish to create an outdoor space where the children (many from disadvantaged backgrounds) could see things grow and gain an understanding of where food comes from.
"When we got together, we cut back trees and grass and nettles to create six areas ready for planting, we created compost, painted fences, tidied up the playground, and achieved such a lot in a couple of days. We all had a great time – and were made to feel really welcome and appreciated by Donna and her team. I only wish we could see the expressions on the children’s faces when they returned to nursery and saw their new outdoor space."
GC Restart team in South Yorkshire volunteered at The Levett School in Doncaster
Colleagues from the GC Restart team in South Yorkshire recently reached out to The Levett School in Doncaster, which is a school for Special Educational Needs children, to ask if there was anything they could do to help improve the school grounds.
As a result of this, two groups of GC colleagues including Paul Wilkins, Cheryl Robbins, Alastair Brown, Mandy Rowing, Diane Pratt, Bob Morris, Charlotte Clewes, Kerry Bradley, Ben Wright, Eleanor Wise, Kris Noble, Linda Okeke-Aspite and Melissa Carey went along during the May half-term to refresh the school’s bandstand, which the school had stated was in desperate need of repainting, and the bandstand was subsequently painted to reflect the colours of the school’s values.
Charlotte Clewes, GC Restart Service Manager, said:
"The team are delighted to be able to support the school in this way and we are sure the children will be over the moon with the results when they return from the half-term holidays."
Colleagues from our GM Business Growth Hub volunteer at an animal sanctuary
In late May, colleagues from the Hub, Alan Livesey, David Trice, Tracy Davis, Caroline Jones, Justine Booth and Fatima Asim volunteered at Bleakholt Animal Sanctuary, helping out by walking the dogs, sorting through donations, and organising the storage areas. Caroline’s daughter, Lucy also volunteered on the day, and Lucy had also arranged to go back and help out again!
Alan Livesey, Contract Finance Officer – BGH, shared what he got from the experience:
"The hands-on involvement not only improves the quality of life for the animals, but also provides invaluable support to the often overburdened rescue staff. In addition to walking a variety of dogs, we spent a couple of hours sorting through donations and tidying up the messy storage area. The personal benefits of the day were forming connections with like-minded individuals and experiencing the joy of making a difference in the lives of vulnerable animals."
Caroline Jones, Senior Business Advisor - Start Up Specialist explains how she got stuck into the activities and endured the terrible weather on the day:
"It was lovely to spend a day with colleagues who I wouldn’t normally get chance to get to know and share in the joy of helping a worthy cause. I was so impressed by the sanctuary, the passion and dedication of the staff and how happy the animals were. It was an honour to play a small part in helping them. I walked three dogs and helped sort donations for the shops, it was really good fun. Even though there was torrential rain, it didn’t matter, just seeing the dogs enjoy being out was enough."
