Maple Grove Developments team and Group colleagues volunteer at Growing Well, Kendal

The Maple Grove Developments team, joined by colleagues from the Group got their hands well and truly dirty as they spent a day working at Growing Well’s organic farm near Kendal.

The Maple Grove team selected Growing Well as their charity of the year, and the Eric Wright Charitable Trust made a donation of £25,000. This was the ideal opportunity to use their volunteering day to contribute to the work of the charity and learn more about the fantastic work it does.

From harvesting kale, planting cucumbers, chilies, aubergines, potting plants and weeding, the team got to work under the guidance of the Growing Well team to learn more about growing produce.

Growing Well is a mental health charity that works with adults in Cumbria and North Lancashire who are experiencing mental ill health. Activity on the six-acre organic horticultural enterprise at Low Sizergh Farm, near Kendal, and the two-acre kitchen garden site at Tebay Services near Penrith is offered as a powerful alternative (or accompaniment) to talking therapy.

Karen Hirst, MD of Maple Grove Developments commented: “This was a fantastic opportunity to support the charity in a hands on way and learn about the exceptional work they do. The benefits of physical activity and fresh air to mental health are huge and this supportive environment with experts on hand is a valued resource to the community.”

Eric Wright Group offers all employees a paid day per year to volunteer for good causes.