News Item

 
Leeds Ahead is very pleased to announce that, for the second year running, we have won the Leeds City Council Environmental Services Community and City Pride Award 2009 for the Business and Community Project of the Year.

The award recognises the work done by our member companies to improve the local environment at Thwaite Mills in South Leeds as part of Aire Action week 2009. Aire Action week is part of longer term plans to increase the number of people who use the waterways, improve the environment along the footpaths and increase inward investment into the city.

This project was a collaboration between Leeds Ahead, Aire Action, BTCV, Yorkshire Wildlife Trust and Groundwork and Thwaite Mills.

Business volunteers from Aire Valley Homes, Arena, Barclays Commercial Banking, Leeds City Council, Lexis Nexis and Mills & Reeve spent 4 days in July improving the grounds of the mill for people from all across Leeds to enjoy. Activities varied from painting outbuildings and clearing, to creating a dead hedge habitat along the river to provide shelter for the local wildlife. Barclays also made a financial contribution to materials needed for their volunteering day. Between the volunteers 335 hours were donated and over £3500 worth of time was invested into the project.

The activity was a great success and it was extremely inspiring to see how much the volunteers were able to achieve in such a short space of time.

Aire Action Leeds said:

"This activity week was a really great example of good partnership working. Leeds Ahead worked closely with the others to recruit volunteers from local businesses. The involvement of Leeds Ahead staff in the morning briefings was really useful and made sure volunteers knew what the event was about, who was involved and the volunteers' role."

Many thanks to all the businesses and volunteers who supported Aire Action 2009 and roll on Aire Action 2010!

If you are interested in getting your business involved in successful employee volunteering programmes please contact Lesley Sharp or Janette Cawcutt.