SSE staff put their best foot forward to revamp a key pathway in the protected Bunny Meadows nature reserve in Hampshire.
Ten employees joined Hampshire County Council (HCC) and Warsash Conservation volunteers to help upgrade the path which winds through the site of special scientific interest.
The area is home to Oystercatchers, Black-tailed Godwits and other wildlife and the busy walkway sees up to 200 people enjoying the countryside at the height of the summer.
The walkway has been in desperate need of tender loving care for the last 10 years and the team from SSE’s Penner Road office in Hampshire were keen to return it to its former glory, helping more people to enjoy the beautiful scenery across the reserve.
SSE’s “Community at Heart” programme encourages staff to take one day every year out of their ordinary working lives to volunteer in their community and help worthy causes in their local area.
Richard Moss of SSE said: “We were tasked with laying 50 tons of gravel supplied by the council and working with their rangers. Puddling is a big issue on the path so it was vital to try and eliminate the risk of this going forward.
“It was hard work but the end result was very satisfying knowing that our efforts will provide a better quality of experience for the public using the path.”
The SSE team’s input was welcomed by the local conservation group. Martyn Shears, of Warsash Conservation, said: “The SSE staff were great. We had to deal with disruptions and a lorry breakdown but they dug in and completed the task staying well into the evening to see the path rolled flat to take in the finished result.
“I would personally like to thank them for their hard work in helping us complete a project that’s been needed for some time and also Hampshire County Council for their help with the machinery and materials, which was a big boost.”
Staff members have already completed over 2,000 Community at Heart days across more than 200 projects since April this year and continue to assist and reach out to local communities across Great Britain and Ireland.
If you know of any other deserving projects in the UK that you think that SSE may be able to lend a hand with contact us here.
