Chairman joins volunteers from Leeds Building Society help Canal & River Trust improve local environment

Volunteers from Leeds Building Society swapped suits for PPE, and laptops for saws and spades, turning out in force to spend a day volunteering along the Leeds & Liverpool Canal with Canal & River Trust, the largest waterways charity in the UK.  

Leeds Building Society’s chairman, Iain Cornish, joined 15 colleagues from the organisation, who got stuck into fixing fencing on Lock 1, a listed structure and one of the most well-used lock bridges in Leeds. They also cleared vegetation and planted bulbs at Whitehall Riverside Pocket Park, situated between the canal and the River Aire.  

The group was accompanied by colleagues from Canal & River Trust, who not only guided the volunteers in their tasks, sharing their skills and knowledge about carpentry and gardening, but also told the group about the heritage and nature they could see along the canal. In just a few hours, the volunteers made a visible difference improving the environment along the waterfront, just metres from their canal-side offices in Leeds city centre.  

Becca Dent, Business & Corporate Engagement Partner, Canal & River Trust, said:  

“Through their corporate volunteering, Leeds Building Society very much supports our essential work to #KeepCanalsAlive. This is especially valuable to the Trust at a time when our funding from Government has been significantly cut. The substantial sum of money they have donated has enabled us to buy wood to repair fencing along the canal. They have also adopted a mile-long section of the Leeds & Liverpool Canal and colleagues regularly volunteer with the Trust. We really do appreciate the work they do; it makes a significant difference.”  

Iain Cornish, Chairman, Leeds Building Society added:  

“Working alongside the Canal & River Trust, we are pleased to have made a positive impact on the local environment through the hard work of the team.  Volunteering is a great opportunity to get outside and spend time with colleagues across the business, and it is great to see people enjoying the experience and caring for the canal and river that flows past our offices.”  

Colleagues from Leeds Building Society were keen to share why they enjoy the experience.  

Frankie Stacey said: “It’s great to get out of the office and chat to people from different teams across the business while doing things you’d never usually get the opportunity to do. It is rewarding to feel like you’re really making a difference.”  

Lindsey Mountain added: “This is the third time I’ve signed up to do volunteering on the canal. It’s a great team event and is great for wellbeing, getting to know colleagues, and having an impact on the environment outside our place of work.”  

If your business is interested in getting involved with supporting Canal & River Trust in Yorkshire, please contact becca.dent@canalrivertrust.org.uk or for more information visit Corporate partnerships | Canal & River Trust (canalrivertrust.org.uk)