On one cold winter morning, I recently joined eleven Triad colleagues as part of a volunteer programme to help the Buckingham Canal Society clear a section of the canal of debris and weeds. Their goal is to restore the canal’s heritage, and in doing so, create a better environment for wildlife and people to enjoy.
We were there because we had committed our time as part of a social value contribution for one of our public sector clients. It was a crisp, frosty morning that didn’t reach above zero degrees. We were greeted by three very kind members of the Buckingham Canal Society, who set out our tasks for the day and delivered an efficient health and safety run down before giving us our equipment.
It was the first time we had done anything like this. Our chores involved hacking back overgrown foliage and storing it while our wheelbarrow team cleared the piles. No one got off lightly. You were either perched on the banks, wading in the water, clearing reeds and weeds, or moving the debris back and forth via the wheelbarrow. By the end of the day, it felt like back-breaking work.
One of my reflections was what a fantastic day we had. We were outdoors, in the fresh air, and not interrupted by Zoom or Teams meetings. We rubbed shoulders with cherished colleagues in a completely different environment from what we were used to.
It was an amazing day for team-building. We had absolute belly laughs, whether it was seeing people pull on their waders or watching them wobble and fall in the canal while grappling with garden shears and heavy foliage.
It was also a very productive day. Our pre-and post-photos reminded us of what this group of unwitting conservationists had achieved. It was the best team-building day I have ever experienced.
Some people may view these social value contributions as an element of compliance with a tick box you must mark off to do your bit. My reflection, particularly after a day like that, is what a massive benefit it was to us as an organisation. We did some good and met some inspirational volunteers. In fact, one of the volunteers had been on this project for over thirty years. She was amazing!
Buckingham Canal Society deserves medals for its work. We were so impressed by its volunteers that we made a corporate donation to help them with their funding. Their passion and dedication to improving the quality of life for wildlife and locals are infectious.
We all came away thinking that it was a hard day’s work. It was certainly different from a normal day in the life of a Triad employee, but it was very rewarding and worth every hour of the toil we endured. This type of exercise will be built into the Triad calendar, and we will absolutely do it again.
If you have a question for Adrian Leer or the Triad team, please get in touch.
