Leicestershire Cares head into the woods for their Green Team Challenge

Monday 23rd June was the day of the Cares’ annual green team challenge. As part of our commitment to both sustainability and employee volunteering, we take time out from the day to day to do something different and benefit the environment.

This year we left the hustle and bustle of the city and headed northwest, to the outer reaches of Lount, and encountered Heart Wood, set in the beautiful National Forest.

We were warmly received by Heartwood Community Woodland Group CIC; a group committed to the management and sustainability of The National Forest.

As a group we learnt that after 30 years of growth a forest needs to be “de forested” by 30% in order to survive and continue to provide a sustainable habitat to wildlife which, we admit, goes against what we believe about cutting down trees. The group consists entirely of volunteers who come from a variety of professional backgrounds but hold, in common, a love of the outdoors and a collective knowledge of woodland management.

Sitting in the impressive canopied “hub”, our group learnt about the personal benefits of woodland volunteering, physical, social and mental and why this group has attracted well over 100 regular volunteers.

Split into two groups we commenced our work for the day – learning to safely fell a tree using a hand saw and then processing the wood into pure charcoal – with a science lesson from volunteer Andrew. The pure charcoal is sold locally and used in local eateries – reducing carbon emissions, chemical emissions and providing much needed income to continue growing the group.

We shared a campfire lunch of halloumi, bacon and sausage cobs and homemade scones, jam and cream (expertly baked by Cares own Amy).

The team fed back what a wonderful day they had – despite feeling physically very tired – it was a good feeling – one with a sense of achievement and team camaraderie. We departed, not only with the smell of woodsmoke on our clothes, but a new knowledge of sustainable woodland management and , for a few staff, big bags of pure charcoal – destined for BBQs in this lovely warn weather we are having .