York Cares’ Big Community Challenge 2024 Helps Nature Thrive

York Cares’ 16th annual Big Community Challenge has once again demonstrated the power of partnership and community spirit, with over 500 volunteers dedicating their time and energy to improving green spaces across the city. This year, the month-long challenge saw employees from 16 local employers and both of York’s universities volunteer more than 1,500 hours to transform landscapes and increase the connectivity of ecological sites in the north, south, east, and west of York.

The impressive results include 48 volunteering sessions across 33 sites, carried out in collaboration with 28 local partners including St Nicks and the City of York Council’s Environment and Communities team. From weeding and raking to building a pond dipping platform, volunteers worked tirelessly to enhance York’s outdoor spaces. Notable achievements included sowing 6kg of wildflower seed, planting approximately 17,800 plants and bulbs, and installing a new eco-system and flood gate murals at North Street Gardens, which volunteers and participants admired during a celebratory City Cruise boat ride. The two murals were painted by Graphic and Communication Design students from York College in partnership with York BID

Holly Hennell, Manager at employee-volunteering charity York Cares, expressed her pride in this year’s achievements:
“We’re incredibly proud of the partnerships that have driven the success of our 16th Big Community Challenge. Thanks to the commitment of our employer members and partners, we’ve been able to connect communities across York through impactful environmentally focused activities resulting in changing landscapes. It’s this collaboration that truly transforms our city’s green spaces, creating lasting benefits for both the environment and local residents. The dedication from businesses and volunteers alike demonstrates the power of partnership in making a real difference for the community.”

This year’s Big Community Challenge embodied the spirit of York Cares, which is committed to connecting employers and employees with community projects that have the greatest impact. As always, the organisation brought together a range of talents and expertise, turning this collective effort into tangible results for the city’s green spaces.

York businesses who allowed their staff time during the working day to take part in the annual Big Community Challenge included Ardent, Aviva, Benenden Health, boxxe, Cabinet Office, City of York Council, ETAS, Fera Science Ltd, Hiscox, Nestle, Partners PR, Portakabin, Systra, The Insurance Emporium, Trustmarque, University of York, and York St John University.

For further information or to learn more about how to get involved with York Cares, please visit www.yorkcares.co.uk.