SOMAD Day in Rowntree Park

13th January 2020

6 members of VINCI's York-based Guildhall project team put their construction skills to work on a slightly unusual building project during a SOMAD day at Rowntree Park in the city. The VINCI volunteers lent their support to client City of York Council by building a row of compost bays for the park's tennis club, so that leaves fallen from the many mature trees around the park, and swept up by club members, now have a place to be stored and converted to useful compost. Volunteer group Friends of Rowntree Park will use the resulting mulch, stored in the bays, to nourish the gardens and flowerbeds around the park.

Council representatives were delighted with the support they received, and for the new facility that the VINCI team has provided. Councillor Darryl Smalley, Executive Member for Culture, Leisure and Communities said, “It's wonderful to see businesses working with the local community to meet the needs of residents. The compost bays look great and will help our communities to operate sustainably and protect our parks and nature environments.”

VINCI's Rob Henderson, who is managing the Guildhall redevelopment and was one of the volunteers who helped build the new composters, said: “Not only was this a great way to get involved in a local community project but it was a fantastic opportunity for some team building. We had a great time away from our normal activities and the feeling of wellbeing in what we've been able to provide for the Friends of Rowntree Park is fantastic.”

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