RBS, a key sponsor and partner of Marketing Stockport, have taken advantage of their gowing relationship with fellow member organisations to work collaboratively to benefit a local community project.
Following a Marketing Stockport presentation, the business team at RBS in Stockport became aware of Groundworks, an Environmental Regeneration Charity, who introduced the team to Chantal Johnson from the Friends of Tangshutt Meadows Community Project in Romiley.
Friends of Tangshutt Meadows Loz O’Connor (left) with the RBS task force
Loz O’Connor, RBS Senior Business Development Manager, undertook a fact finding mission to gauge suitability and it didn’t take long for him to decide it was the right project for the Bank and his colleagues.
A small band of enthusiastic and determined residents had formed the Friends of Tangshutt Meadows Community Project group with the aim of maintaining a large area of woodland, meadow, riverbank, playground and footpaths. The sheer size of the land area surrounding Romiley, close to Stockport in Cheshire meant that maintenance was a huge task.
Loz said he had expected to carry out a bit of gently weeding but actually got involved in far more:
“Whilst the RBS volunteers had expected to get involved with a bit of ‘weeding’, Project Co-ordinator Chantal gave us all a wide variety of tasks which included ‘ a bug survey’, cutting back the aggressive growth of sycamores and laurel, the creation of a ‘bug hotel’, fruit bush planting , riverbank maintenance and a water quality survey.
“Thankfully the weather was fine throughout, allowing all team members to have a go at the various ‘tasks’ whilst being entertained by the wonderful humour of Marilyn from Tanghutt who kept a watchful eye over us”.
RBS also secured the support of ther customers Paintmaster 2000 Ltd and IQ Playgrounds Ltd who offered their products free of charge.
Loz continued:
“The whole day provided a great physical workout, was thoroughly enjoyable and was made all the more worthwhile when hearing Chantal comment that it would have taken their team months to complete the work we had done in 12 hours spread over 2 days as a team.
“It was a great project to support and we enjoyed the activity so much that we are looking forward to going back again in Spring 2014. In the meantime we have all agreed to make efforts to help promote this project to improve the area around Romiley and hopefully drum up more support for them”.
Marketing Stockport – a web based information portal – connects and promotes business in the town for the longer term future of a successful Stockport business economy.