Reach
Issue 6 2014
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5
A
irwave’s Home Affairs
Service Team decided to
get their hands well and
truly dirty when they volunteered to
help the regeneration of a sensory
walk in Ryton Pools Country Park
in Coventry. The scheme is part of
a programme run by Warwickshire
County Council.
The walk is an initiative by the
park staff to help people with
sensory impairments to enjoy their
surroundings. Autumn is a really busy
time for the staff, as all the summer
growth needed cutting back.
Darren Chamberlain, Airwave’s
Lead Service Manager, spotted the
opportunity and thought that not only
was it a great way to help the local
community, but also a good way to get
the new service team to bond together
and have some hard earned ‘fun’.
“I wanted to do something that
would give the teams a bit of a break
from the norm, while at the same
time being able to work together on
something we would all enjoy, and that
was very worthwhile,” says Darren. “I
knew that Airwave supports us doing
community initiatives and thought this
would be the perfect solution.”
The team’s tasks were to clear the
grassed areas of the sensory walk,
and establish a sensory ‘tunnel’ by
clearing a large amount of earth and
laying woodchip. Although the park
welcomes volunteers on a daily basis
this was the rst time a whole team
had turned up to assist.
“Cutting and raking the Sensory
Trail grassland is a signicant annual
task for us. It is also a crucial part
of our Higher Level Stewardship
agreement with Natural England. The
Airwave team worked extremely hard
and did in a day what it would have
taken us, without help, over a week
to achieve! They even managed
to do it with a smile and much
entertaining banter!” said Craig Earl,
Senior Ranger for Warwickshire
Country Parks.
Andy Parker, Chief Constable
of Warwickshire Police was so
impressed to hear of the team’s
efforts, he even paid them a visit.
Andy spent some time with the team
nding out about how the Home
Affairs team is organised as well
discussing the challenges that his
force were facing.
Initiatives such as these are one
way in which Airwave strives to really
make a difference, contributing within
the local community, and making a
positive social impact. The company
supports these activities for teams
and individuals across the business.
Andy Parker, Chief Constable
Warwickshire Police, second left,with
the Airwave team, from left: Chris
Elliot, Sharon Blount, Darren Field,
Andy Menzies, Darren Chamberlain,
Dave Button, Teressa Latimer, Nat
Rogers, Jim Strother, Brenda Toothill,
Steve Gilson, Kevin Richardson and
Richard Parkinson.
Many hands help to
create sensory walk
