FRIENDS OF PORTSDOWN HILL - EMPLOYEE VOLUNTEER DAY
Meon take pride in its reputation as a trustworthy business and we currently hold a Silver CSR Accreditation. We continue to seek proactive ways to make our business more ethical and sustainable, and meet our CSR goals and objectives. One of the ways we ensure our business creates a positive social impact, is by giving back to the community with employee volunteer days.
Employee volunteer days help to support our local communities, by providing a service or project assistance and giving back to society. Russell Smallridge is our most recent employee to step forward, donating time and effort to a local conservation project on Portsdown Hill.
What We Did
Russell spent a day volunteering for 'Friends of Portsdown Hill', helping out with their conservation project. Working alongside Richard Jones, Russell helped to clear plies of mulch that are produced, from the ongoing conservation efforts.
The conservation of the grass chalkland on Portsdown Hill is an ongoing project, managed by Friends of Portsdown Hill. It requires constant ecology and habitat management, tackling the need for vegetation control to help maintain an open chalk grasssland and litter picking to maintain the natural ecosystem.
Portsdown Hill is a large area of chalk grassland and is listed as a SSSI (Site of of Special Scientific Interest). It is a biodiverse habitat for thousands of uncommon species of invertebrates and wildlife.
95% of chalk grassland in the UK has been lost due to developments and agricultral improvement, the Portsdown Hill Conservation Programme plays a vital role to help protect what remains.
"Portsdown Hill is a enormously big area of chalk grass on the outskirts of portsmouth. Lots of interesting archeology, history, and particulary ecology." - Richard Jones
Richard has been closely involved with Friends of Portsdown Hill Conservation efforts since 1994 and often welcomes coroprate voluenteers on a weekly basis.
Richard was incredibly greatful for our employee Russell, providing and opperating a additional tractor for the day, to assist in the loading and disposing of mulch piles, usually Richard tackles this himself with a single tractor.
Richard Jones operating his tractor, loading mulch onto a trailer attached to Russell Smallridge's tractor.
"I'm very glad you have come along with your machinary. Often we get corporate volunteers and it is difficult to get the work done, because it is awful to move this stuff (Mulch).
You've come along with a tractor, I usually have to disengage the trailer from my tractor so this is a elegant solution and I am very grateful for you to come along and help out." - Richard Jones
Many thanks to Richard Jones and Friends of Portsdown Hill for their continious service they provide to the local community, preserving the biodiverse ecosystem and natural beauty of Portsdown Hill.
For more information on how you can get involved with the project, see the Friends of Portsdown Hill website...
Positive Social Impact
Community Engagement. Engagement with the local community by volunteering with a conservation project, providing assitance with the ongoing maintenance and protection of Portsdown Hill, a local site of scientific interest.
Enviromental Initiatives.
The conservation of open grassland conserves the local wildlife, promotes photosynthesis and helps reduce carbon levels in the atmosphere.
Event Support.
Meon's volunteer efforts were welcomed greatly and highly appreciated.
Meon understands the social responsibility of volunteering for local services and organisations, we have a proactive responce in taking volunteer opportunities.
Our CSR day highlight video.
