Housing association staff volunteer their help with community projects

Staff from Hightown Housing Association have been taking part in volunteering activities at local charities and organisations.

About 120 staff at the Hemel Hempstead-based housing association opted to spend a morning taking part in volunteer working parties across Herts and Bucks.

Their activities included clearing and managing part of the Box Moor Trust’s Roughdown Common in Hemel, which is designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest and home to some unique species.

About 20 volunteers, supervised by estate ranger Karen Poore, were involved in managing an area of ash trees to improve the habitat of the disused chalk quarry.

Karen said: “We really depend on volunteers and with this number of people we got a lot done. It’s made a real difference and we’re grateful to all the Hightown staff for their hard work.”

Another team worked with the Canal & River Trust on improving the stretch of canal running through Hemel, while others helped with administrative tasks at the town’s The Collett School in Hemel.