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This autumn, over 50 people from Access Group have taken part in a project to help protect and restore one of the UK’s most treasured landscapes. Across three separate conservation days at Alderley Edge in Cheshire, colleagues used their Giving Back Days to work alongside the National Trust, tackling vital conservation work that will benefit the local environment and community for years to come.
The team was also tasked with removing invasive plants that threaten local biodiversity and maintained trails to ensure these beautiful spaces remain accessible to everyone in the community.
Emma de Sousa, Managing Director of Access Legal and Recruitment, commented:
"It was incredible to see everyone come together. We spend our days working with technology, but getting out into nature and doing physical work as a team really brought us together. Knowing that the footpaths we built and the habitats we restored will benefit the local community and wildlife for years to come made it feel like a truly worthwhile way to use our Giving Back Days."
Dedicating our time and energy to this vital work demonstrates how businesses can play an active role in environmental stewardship while creating a feel-good event for the team in the fresh air.”
Issy Bovaird, Ranger, Cheshire Countryside commented:
“Having the Access Group teams with us for three days has made a massive impact on our work here at Alderley Edge. Thanks to the teams, we have completed three separate paths leading to the Armada Beacon, Holy Well and Castle Rock – we had planned to get only one completed! Whilst working on site, we were able to see the positive effect we’ve had on visitors enjoyment of the Edge, people now have access to nature where the terrain previously was impassable.
This network of paths also mean that erosion is limited so that vegetation can come back and be a great space for wildlife too. Our work is only made possible thanks to our amazing volunteers - thank you to everyone at the Access Group for helping us maintain our beautiful countryside and be superstars for nature!”
Alderley Edge spans over 600 acres of ancient woodland and heathland and is one of the most visited countryside sites in the Northwest, where walkers, families, and nature enthusiasts explore scenic trails, historic mine workings, and stunning viewpoints across the Cheshire and Welsh countryside.
The site supports a huge diversity of habitats and species including woodpeckers, nuthatches, purple hairstreak butterflies, and various bat species.
One volunteer, Barry Davies, Director of Group Architecture at Access, commented:
"It was great to be able to help the National Trust and other volunteer rangers for a Giving Back Day around Alderley Edge. We spent the day building and maintaining the maze of walking paths that go around the site, building path borders by laying timbers, filling in sand and gravel, and basically fighting the constant effects of erosion to keep the site accessible for all. As a National Trust member, I know how much they rely on volunteers to protect and maintain their sites and properties – so it was great to help them out for the day."
Kirstie Coetzee, Associate Product Manager, Product & Engineering added:
"Swapping our usual desks for an outdoor office at the stunning National Trust Alderley Edge was a welcome change. We were like a busy colony of ants, focused on rebuilding paths for others to enjoy, minus the antennae and six legs of course 😊.
It was a day of connection and teamwork - sharing biscuits and blisters! It was so rewarding to be able to help create safer, more accessible paths for the local community to enjoy. The rain at the end only added drama to our woodland adventure. I look forward to the chance to do it all over again. Until the next Giving Back Day!"
