Mitie colleagues recently volunteered as part of a team that created a sensory garden for Holt Park Active Centre.
When Ralph Thoresby School received a lottery grant, they had a vision of using it to benefit the local community. They partnered with the Adult Social Care unit at Holt Park Active Centre, Leeds, to create a sensory garden that would provide a peaceful and interactive environment for students and community members, especially those with sensory processing challenges.
A combined team effort
The project was a collaborative effort that involved various stakeholders, including Mitie, Hyde Park Resource, Leeds City Council, and Aire Valley. Mitie played a crucial role in supporting the project, both financially and practically. This included covering half of the cost for the garden’s gate (totalling £1500) and contributing 80 hours of voluntary labour. 
Helpdesk operatives, engineers, and contract managers from Local Government and Education sectors were pivotal in carrying out the work.
The contractor, Aire Valley, also generously waived the installation fees for the gate and provided volunteer labour. Work on the project included cleaning the external walls, replacing and painting the garden benches, restoring the garden path, pruning plants and flowers and replacing damaged grass. A pergola was fixed to provide shade and structure within the garden.
Creating a positive community impact
The project finished in a grand reveal in July, where the Mayor of Leeds officially opened the sensory garden to the public. The event featured speeches from representatives of Adult Social Care, Ralph Thoresby School and the Mayor of Leeds, highlighting the collaborative efforts and the anticipated positive impact on the community.
The power of collaboration
This project is a great example of the power of community collaboration and the effective use of funds to create lasting, beneficial spaces. Mitie is proud of its involvement in this project and they congratulate everyone who contributed to its success.
Mitie’s ESG commitments and strategies are always evolving, to make sure they’re best supporting their customers and communities. You can read more about their progress in their latest ESG report, which takes a deep dive into their environment, social and governance strategy and the progress they’ve made so far.
