Green fingered National Grid volunteers grab a pizza the action

02/11/2009

Energetic volunteers from National Grid exchanged office life for the great outdoors as they went back to nature to lend a helping hand.

The volunteers from Berkshire spent two days working at Iver Nature Study Centre in Iver Heath, earlier this month. The volunteering formed part of the group’s teambuilding activities.

Tasks included creating a ‘pizza garden’ – a feature made up of different types of vegetables and shaped like a pizza – and helping to put up new polytunnels over the centre’s mini rainforest area.

National Grid Transmission Requirements Manager, John Carnwarth, said: “We thought we’d do something a bit different for our annual teambuilding exercise. This is the first time we have been here and it’s gone really well.  We’d love to come back here again.”

National Grid Placement Engineer Rebecca Stimpson, commented: “It’s nice to get out of the office and put something back into the community.”

Groundwork Thames Valley Learning Service Manager Ian Long said: “I am very pleased with the team’s efforts.  Big groups of volunteers like this with their enthusiasm and willingness to get their hands dirty can really make a difference to a site like this.

“Though it’s only a 2.5 acre site it is still a lot of work for our regular volunteers so we are very grateful to groups such as this for coming and helping out.”

Iver Nature Study Centre is a partnership between National Grid and Groundwork Thames Valley, in the grounds of National Grid’s high-voltage electricity substation at Iver.

It provides a wildlife garden where members of the community irrespective of age, ability or background can use the facilities and take part in organised activities for educational, environmental or therapeutic purposes.

Ends

For further media information contact Antony Quarrell, National Grid Media Relations, on 07810 853075

Notes to Editors:

National Grid
National Grid is an international electricity and gas company and one of the largest investor-owned energy companies in the world. We play a vital role in delivering gas and electricity to millions of people across Great Britain and northeastern US in an efficient, reliable and safe manner. We believe the power of action can play a major role in safeguarding our global environment for future generations and tackling the effects of climate change, providing all our customers with the highest standards of service through network investment and through our talented, diverse workforce.

National Grid owns the high-voltage electricity transmission network in England and Wales and operates the system across Great Britain. It also owns and operates the high pressure gas transmission system in Britain and its distribution business delivers gas to 11 million homes and businesses.

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