Member Article

NG Bailey Project Team Makes Donation To Stockton-On-Tees Community Food Project

The project team and subcontractors working on the new energy centre project at the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton-on-Tees have donated 20 tonnes of surplus topsoil to local community and food growing project, Down to Earth Tees Valley.

NG Bailey’s project team also donated 200kg of screws and nails to Down to Earth so it can build more structures and raised beds.

Down to Earth, which has been established over the past year by a passionate group of community minded people from all parts of Teesside, is keen to bring people together and the project currently has over 260 members ranging in age from seven to 77. The group grows good quality fruit and vegetables without pesticides, while being kind to nature in the process.

The community project is close to the university hospital so contacted the NG Bailey project team to see if it could offer any re-usable materials for their project. Some of the fresh produce grown on the site will be donated to food banks in the local area.

Tony Rogers, Senior Project Manager on the scheme for NG Bailey, is looking to engage with Down to Earth again in the future, so it can expand to start additional projects across the region. More topsoil has been proposed for donation to the site as well as other recyclables that can be re-used and incorporated into Down to Earth’s food growing philosophy.

David Spence, Coordinator for Down to Earth, said: “Our motto is real people, real food, real lives. Our projects are open to everyone and all are welcome. We’re building new plant beds at the moment and have future plans to build a greenhouse too. NG Bailey’s donation will really help us to achieve these and support the new sites we’re looking to set up. With the understanding of what we’re doing here, they’re really keen to recycle and reuse more from their project. They’ve committed to support us again when we’re ready for more topsoil, and with tree donations to help start our new orchard.”

Chris Catterick, Operations Director for NG Bailey, said: “As Principal Contractor on this project we welcomed the opportunity to give something back to the local community and this is a great initiative. Re-using the topsoil from site not only helps this local group to undertake their activities and provide for the community, it improves the sustainability credentials for the energy centre site too, something NG Bailey as a company believes in greatly. We hope to donate re-usable materials again as the project progresses and help Down to Earth with their future activities.”

Steven Taylor, Assistant Director of Estates and Capital at North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust, said: “This was a fantastic opportunity to be able to donate some of our topsoil to a brilliant community project which benefits the local area.”

NG Bailey is currently working as principal contractor on the new £14 million energy centre for North Tees and Hartlepool NHS Foundation Trust. As part of its principal contractor role, NG Bailey is responsible for delivering building works, including the superstructure and forming of the major energy centre building complex. Two reinforced concrete below-ground walkways will also be created, linking the new energy centre to the existing hospital infrastructure.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by NG Bailey .