Grantham Canal – Maintenance Day (Part 2)
Tree felling, chipping and plenty of cake…
Before
After
On Friday 2nd February the Greenfields Team headed down the road to the Grantham Canal ready to meet volunteers from The Grantham Canal Society for a day helping them to clear a ‘dry’ section of the canal. Although the weather was kind on the day, with beautiful sunshine, previous wet weather meant that the dry section now contained several inches of water! This wasn’t a problem for our experienced operatives who came equipped with waders and water rescue kits.
We also came equipped with several chainsaw operators who quickly got on with the job of felling some of the larger trees. Volunteers from The Grantham Canal Society helped stack up the brash to keep the tow path clear for users. They also brought along their welfare caravan and volunteers generously kept us fed and watered with tea and cake for elevenses, and soup, rolls and more cake at lunch time.
After a full day of hard work we managed to clear around 200 metres of the canal. This created 23 full ton bags of chippings which the team transported, via quad and trailer, round the corner for use at Belvoir Vale Riding for the Disabled.
Volunteering isn’t just about lending a helping hand. It can offer significant benefits such as skill development, creating networking opportunities, and a sense of accomplishment. This opportunity gave us the chance to meet new people, learn new things, and make meaningful contributions to our local community.
Our volunteering day was not only successful in terms of the tangible work we accomplished but also served as a powerful team-building exercise. This was particularly beneficial for our company’s site operatives who typically work in smaller groups on-site and don’t always get the chance to collaborate on a larger scale. Additionally, it offered our office staff a glimpse into the everyday workings of our site operatives, promoting better understanding and communication within the company. We firmly believe that these experiences can inspire others to volunteer too.
The Grantham Canal Society are always on the lookout for new volunteers, so, if you are looking for something new and exciting, with all the benefits above, please do get in touch with them.
The canal is an amazing resource for walkers, anglers, bird watchers, and provides the perfect opportunity to get outside in nature. Recently, there has been a rise in understanding of the role nature plays in boosting mental health. People are now more aware of how spending time in nature can contribute to improving our overall wellbeing.
As a company we recognise this and are eager to continue our support of the Grantham Canal Society in their efforts to restore the waterway. Our team is currently in the process of creating a comprehensive, long-term maintenance plan. The ultimate goal is to fully clear this section of the canal over the next year or so.
With several keen walkers amongst our staff, we have also decided to challenge ourselves to undertake a marathon length, sponsored walk, along the Grantham Canal to raise further funds for the charity, more details on this to come…
