Member Article

Groundwork unveils plans to forge new business partnerships

Groundwork NE & Cumbria has chosen an unusual, but apt, location to ‘cultivate’ new partnerships with the North East business community.

The social enterprise, which is dedicated to transforming people’s lives and the communities in which they live, is holding a free business networking event on Thursday May 14 at its horticultural nursery in Gateshead, as part of its 30th anniversary celebrations.

Keynote speaker will be Mark Dowdall, the Environment and Community Director with the Banks Group, which recently has teamed up with Groundwork as one of its business partners. Mr Dowdall will talk about the benefits that businesses can gain from becoming involved in community-focused initiatives.

Groundwork Partnerships Manager Michele Armstrong said: “Groundwork is keen to expand the range of private sector organisations with which it engages and we hope that this unusual networking location will prove to be a draw for businesses that want to help support communities.”

Groundwork NE & Cumbria is dedicated to improving the lives of people through environmental improvement programmes, training and work placement schemes, and practical initiatives to tackle climate change and help businesses improve their green credentials.

Mr Dowdall said: “The Banks Group prides itself on supporting environmental, community and voluntary group projects that benefit residents and neighbourhoods across the region. We like to support charities and community organisations that have a ‘can do’ attitude, which is one of the reasons we are keen to forge a relationship with Groundwork.”

The Gateshead Nursery provides horticultural training for local people, offers courses and activities in health and wellbeing and specialises in growing trees using locally collected seed, which are then then sold across the UK for use in woodland schemes, hedging, landscaping, schools, plantations, highways and many other projects.

The Banks Group, which is based in Meadowfield near Durham, is involved in the surface coal mining, property development and renewable energy sectors, will work with Groundwork on schemes to create community open spaces.

It has worked in partnership with the Blagdon Estate to develop Northumberlandia, the Lady of the North, the world’s largest human landform sculpture, and is developing the Mount Oswald site in Durham City.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Recognition PR Business Team .