Almost 500 interns from Goldman Sachs International descended on Anglesey Abbey to complete work on the Hoe Fen Wildlife site.
More used to life as City Slickers, these investment bank interns got their hands dirty as they built bridges, constructed a pond dipping platform, created paths and a log habitat wall. Also on the to-do list was path levelling, glade clearance, woodchip spreading and the construction of natural log seats.
All this was achieved thanks to Goldman Sachs’ Community TeamWorks programme which works with not-for-profit and voluntary organisations. This is the third year the Goldman Sachs interns programme has partnered with The Trust at Anglesey Abbey. Great work has been achieved in the last two years, and 2008 saw further big developments in the Hoe Fen Wildlife project.
Masterminding this mammoth undertaking was Anglesey Abbey’s Head Gardener Richard Todd. He said:
'Organising this many volunteers over the four days was a challenge, and I couldn’t do it without the help of our team leaders and helpers. It’s all worth the effort though, because we got some major work completed on this important wildlife habitat.'
Anglesey Abbey’s Hoe Fen Wildlife project is 25 acres of what was very overgrown scrub and woodland at the western end of the gardens, including a pond and a series of ditch lines throughout. It is being developed to enhance a wide range of habitat sites for wildlife and to encourage people of all ages and abilities to explore for themselves or get involved. We also plan to use part of this area for natural sculptures and art. An additional 3km of pathways are being developed to give year round access into the Wildlife area.
Jennie Jordan, Community, Learning and Volunteering Manager for The National Trust in the East of England, added:
'Many companies are keen to participate in volunteering programmes. It is a great way for them to put something back into the community and provides good team building opportunities for their staff as well. The National Trust’s countryside and mansions offer great volunteering projects, whether large or small scale. We rely on volunteers, so I would be very happy to hear from anyone interested in Volunteering at Work.'
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