Travel Village Group staff have taken part in the first of many volunteer days in support of the National Trust’s Plant A Tree initiative.
Five employees used their charity day allowance to help plant new trees and create and restore hedgerows to provide a habitat for wildlife and combat climate change at High Peak in the Peak District. The initiative involves planting 1,400 new trees in total.
The five volunteers were: operations manager Leah Ormerwood; care team members Alannah Flanders and Samantha Bonney; acting group marketing manager Jenny Higgins; Holiday Village business owner Andrea Smith.
They worked under the guidance of National Trust trees and woodland project manager Ellie Barham and the ranger team to dig, plant and secure the saplings that will become hedgerows.
Higgins said: “As someone who spends a lot of their time behind a screen, it was incredibly refreshing to get outdoors and contribute hands-on to such an important cause. Growing up, I spent weekends visiting National Trust sites, so being able to preserve these spaces for future generations was incredibly rewarding.”
Ormerwood added: “Looking back to see all the trees and hedges we had planted throughout the day—it’s not very often you can say you’ve planted a chestnut tree that will be there for 150 years to come!”
Barham said the project was a huge task, adding: “That is why it is fantastic to involve more people in our work to help get the job done. The hard work of volunteers and the money raised through fundraising like the ‘Plant a Tree’ initiaitive will help us to achieve our ambitions and make a difference to protect nature, climate and these stunning landscapes.”
As part of the project, customers who book through the Travel Village Group are also asked to make a donation of £2.50 towards the initiative.