As part of RSK Group and its 2030 Sustainability Strategy Second Nature, COGNICA recognise that our work can bring benefits to people in the communities in which we work, and we seek to maximise these through community engagement activities.
One of the targets we set in our Environmental, Social, Governance (ESG) Goals is “commitment to society,” and to support this, we encourage our staff at COGNICA to utilise one paid day of volunteering during each year.
This week a team of 8 of us supported The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust. Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is a charitable organisation working to preserve, conserve and improve the route of the Wilts & Berks canal.
The Trust are restoring 70 miles of canal and towpath for the benefit of the local communities, wildlife, and leisure. The current section in progress is at Wichelstowe, just behind our offices in Blagrove Swindon, so it was a wonderful opportunity to be able to support our local wildlife and community.
The Wilts & Berks Canal Trust is a volunteer-led organisation, we had several friendly faces welcome and organise us for what became an extremely rewarding day for us all supporting them with their hard work. We spent the time improving the tow path and hedgerows aligning the canal, clearing litter, moving cut down trees and bushes, and creating bug house environments for wildlife to thrive in more suitable spaces. We had another wonderful volunteer turn up to take us on a trip on the Dragonfly whilst we ate lunch, the Dragonfly is a purpose-built narrowboat and was a great way to view the restored section of the canal whilst we all recharged and refreshed ourselves.
Our work party organiser was brilliant, and we receive positive feedback from the Wilts & Berks Canal Trust about our contribution:
“Many hands make light work, and with our ever-increasing workload, on behalf of the canal trust here in Swindon, I would like to thank you all for your contribution to the work party. We appreciate that you put your own time aside to help us with the towpath maintenance. Your efforts have today really helped to enhance the habitat in this area for the wildlife and the local community and was very much appreciated.”
Some of the many benefits of volunteering as a team are the opportunities for staff build new connections and memories with each other, learning how to work together in totally different situations, overcoming the unique challenges that arise, and enabling new leaders to demonstrate their team management skills.
All the COGNICA volunteers reported back that they really enjoyed themselves, and it was heart warming to see the improved and tidied canal path so well used by walkers, runners, and cyclists. It turned out to be a beautiful day—despite the forecast!
You can find out more about the canal trust and ways to volunteer here >> WBCT website
It was an enjoyable (and hardworking!) day spent outside in nature with our fantastic team, supporting our own wellbeing and giving back to our community.
