Local volunteers transform space with winning garden design
A group of 28 Mondelēz International volunteers recently began creating an exciting new colleague-designed garden space at a former bowling green and pavilion in Bournville.
As part of the company’s award-winning Health for Life® programme and collaborating with community partner The Conservation Volunteers, a competition was recently launched for employees to design a welcoming and productive colleague garden, to take shape in the former Bowls Pavilion space adjacent to the Mondelēz International factory and offices in Bournville.
Funded by Mondelēz International and supported by The Conservation Volunteers, the Health for Life® programme has created 20 community food-growing sites over the last thirteen years, where local residents across south Birmingham have been able to get outdoors and grow their own fruit and vegetables.
The latest site at Bournville has given Mondelēz International employees the opportunity to create their own space for this purpose.
Guided by the winning design from a colleague in the Research & Development department, the team of 28 volunteers from the Bournville site worked hard on the initial launch day, shaping the garden’s structure by building raised beds, placing new paths, and planting red onions, which will over-winter until next year.
Work is set to continue over the coming months, with further volunteering opportunities for colleagues and plans to plant a variety of crops throughout winter.
Kelly Farrell, community affairs manager at Mondelēz International, said: “It’s fantastic to see so many of our employees get involved in creating this new colleague space, from our design winner who created a beautiful and practical concept, to the group who volunteered to start bringing the garden to life.
“We’re extremely proud to continue to fund our Health for Life® programme, which actively engages children and adults in healthier lifestyles. Our colleagues regularly volunteer to help develop and maintain the programmes community growing spaces and this new garden marks an opportunity for them to get more immediately involved in growing fruit and vegetables.
Glenn Powell, team leader at TCV, added: “We’re thrilled to support the Health for Life® programme, empowering communities to make healthier choices and supporting conservation projects in the local area.
“This new colleague garden space will not only transform a previously simple green area into something beautiful, but offer both learning and volunteering opportunities, allowing colleagues to continue to enjoy time outside maintaining the garden, and we’re excited to watch the garden bloom and to utilise its produce in the future.”
