Alex Hardy

This week the Data Team and Pricing Development team did a volunteering day together at Hardiman Fields in Shipston-on-Stour.  It was a great day, slightly unfortunate that it was on the hottest day of the year, but everyone managed to stay well hydrated and sun creamed up!  Some of the activities we were able to achieve were strimming, moving bark chippings, relaying slabs, rebuilding/mending structures, building chairs, burning garden waste (safely!), setting up the BBQ sites, chopping away invasive plants, trimming hedges and a few other bits!  Pricing Cycle was only mentioned once whilst we were working as a unit of collecting rubbish and then taking it away – I think we’ve solved it though! 

A note from Tom Alden – “A huge thank you from the Pricing Development team to the Data team, and in particular Victoria Nicholls, for facilitating a joint volunteering day between our teams this week at Hardiman fields.  It was a great opportunity to combine giving something to the local community with getting to know each other’s teams a little better – hopefully useful for future collaboration back in the office.  It felt like we achieved both goals without too much heat exhaustion!”

At the end of the day, we all shared a well-earned meal – a humble bag of fish and chips.  Thanks to all who came along and put in the graft.  It was greatly appreciated by Girlguiding Warwickshire.  I have a lot more pictures and I’ll find some way of circulating them more widely.

Victoria, who did a great organising the day and activities, kindly shared a little bit about the charity we provided the support for:

“Girlguiding Warwickshire is the local division of Girlguiding UK, who believe whoever they are, wherever they’re from, girls can do anything.  Through fun, friendship, challenge and adventure we empower girls to find their voice, inspiring them to discover the best in themselves and to make a positive difference in their community.  For over 100 years, Girlguiding have given girls a space which is just for them, and the teenagers I volunteer with still appreciate this.  They also love any activity which is outside – gone are the days of crafting every week – and once a year we go to our county campsite, Hardiman Fields, for District camp.  The campsite is looked after by a committee of volunteers, and they really value having a corporate work party in so they can cross off things on their to do list which might otherwise sit there for a while due to lack of time.”