Milestone Infrastructure was delighted to volunteer its services to Minstead Trust recently, to help with the creation of a brand-new pathway at Furzey Gardens in Minstead.
The Milestone team in Hampshire have a longstanding relationship with Minstead Trust, a charity which supports people with learning disabilities, enabling them to achieve greater independence. The charity run Furzey Gardens, a woodland garden open to the public where they provide employment and enrichment opportunities for the people that they support.
This summer, several members of our team in Hampshire went to Furzey Gardens, and learned of a serious health and safety issue that needed resolving. They were shown a steep hill that acted as the only access point to the area where people are supported to grow plants for sale. The walkway had no form of support for the people who used it and the area became particularly hazardous during periods of heavy rain.
Milestone team members from the contract’s Totton Depot came together to action a solution for this problem, working to construct a raised 50m path with a supporting handrail. The project was led by Milestone’s Depot Co-ordinator Nicolle Cloete, using the skills she has developed during her ongoing apprenticeship in Leadership & Management.
The team were supported by sub-contractor Triangle Ltd., who in association with New Forest Fencing installed 33 handrail posts. Milestone Operatives installed the handrail and compacted the pathway material. Ensuring sustainable materials were used where possible, 20 tonnes of recycled type One material from the contract’s award winning Micheldever Road Materials Recycling Facility was used for the foundation of the path.
Speaking on the project, Andrew Bentley, Furzey Estate Manager, said: “We are absolutely over the moon with what your team has achieved! They have done an amazing job and they were a great bunch to have on site.... friendly, courteous, interested in our charity, tidy and worked efficiently getting the job done on time. I couldn't have wished for a better group to come to our aid, so thank you to everyone who has been involved in this project.”
Nicolle Cloete, Totton Deport Co-ordinator at Milestone Infrastructure, added: “Seeing this project come together was very heartwarming. We are very fortunate to have staff who see the value in community projects and want to make an impact. Seeing smiles on the faces of the people that Minstead support made all the hard work worth it.”
Milestone’s focus on social value is an essential element to its environmental, social and governance (ESG) commitments. This pathway will provide some much-needed support for staff and volunteers at Furzey Gardens for years to come.
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