Corporate Executive Board
CEB joined Penge Green Gym on their Global Service Day
CEB visit to Winsford Gardens – #CEBGivesBack
15th May 2015 – Penge Green Gym volunteers working at Winsford Gardens in Penge, south east London were very happy to welcome a group from the Corporate Executive Board for a whole day of gardening and renovation work. This was arranged a part of the Corporate Executive Board annual Global Service Day to demonstrate their commitment to the communities in which they live and work: http://www.executiveboard.com/exbd/community/gallery/index.page
During their 4th annual Global Impact Day in, 2014, CEB allowed more than 3,000 staff to get out and give back to more than 75 charitable organizations in 25 countries and 50 cities around the world. Together, they completed 15,000 hours of community service on just that one day.
After our warm up exercises and a tool talk, the main task of the day was meant to be the repair of the vandalised fencing around the wildflower meadows.
We had expected that our improved and stronger fencing would survive better the rigours of ‘life in Penge’ and the upright wooded posts do remain, but the cross beams have been broken. It seems it was just seen as a bigger challenge! Vandalism in the gardens is now a major problem, but we have the two options of just giving up, or to continue to try to improve the gardens for the benefit of local residents and wildlife.
We decided to replace the fence with the original woven hazel branch construction again. Woven hazel fences are fun and simple to make and are a strong, attractive alternative to mass-produced softwood fencing. The following pictures show our trial run:
The weather was kind and CEB soon got stuck into the task. Both fences were repaired even before our stop for lunch.
Some of the group turned their hand to hedge trimming and weeding flower and vegetable beds, but it was clear some wanted a greater challenge.
So, we cut the earth on what will eventually become our wooded trail through the trees at the rear of the gardens.
And a great day of work was completed.