THE RIVER Plym received a helping hand from Lloyds Banking Group as staff volunteered with us as citizen scientists.
Employees from the London-based banking team chose to give nature a boost as part of their corporate away day when they joined our environmental charity at the National Trust’s Plymbridge Woods, Devon, site in May.
Giuliana Petrelli from Lloyds Banking Group, said: “We had heard about the wonderful work the Trust is doing and with our staff passionate about supporting nature, it was an ideal opportunity.
“Our Westcountry Rivers Trust guide Lydia was fantastic; her passion and enthusiasm was so inspiring.
“Not only did we learn a great deal as a team about river habitats, it also enabled us to step away from the office and work together in different ways.”
The group took part in a litter pick to help prevent rubbish, including discarded plastics, entering the river, which plays a big part in our Preventing Plastic Pollution project in the Tamar catchment.
They also spent time learning how to survey the river and test its water quality as part of our Westcountry CSI citizen science project, with their findings feeding into vital data about river health.
Lydia Ashworth, our Westcountry CSI coordinator who led the activity said: “It was a pleasure to share our love of Westcountry rivers and all they support with such an enthusiastic group.
“When businesses support us this way, it’s win-win for all involved as our river environments benefit from the information gathered and/or litter removed and staff can enjoy time making a positive difference, for nature, for their company, and for themselves.”
Visit wrt.org.uk/project/working-with-business/ to learn more about how your business can help Westcountry freshwater environments thrive for all who rely on them.
The team test the river’s water
Lloyds Banking Group
A financial services group focused on retail and commercial customers – with millions of customers in the UK, and a presence in nearly every community. Their role is to help businesses and individuals, while making a positive contribution to the communities in which they operate.
Visit https://www.lloydsbankinggroup.com/who-we-are.html
National Trust – Plymbridge Woods
Plymbridge Woods, managed by the National Trust, is a wooded valley opening to the moors of Dartmoor with a rich and varied industrious past. The Plym Valley consists of varied habitats from riverside meadows, ancient woodland, and the wilderness of Dartmoor.