Yorkshire chemistry company staff turn gardeners for the day in large-scale global volunteering campaign

Employees from Yorkshire chemistry company Lubrizol put their backs into weeding for the day as they worked with a charity helping conserve a Huddersfield river for all to enjoy.

Volunteers from Lubrizol, whose jobs normally involve working in labs and offices, got their gardening gloves and tough boots on for the day when they helped the River Holme Connections charity rid the tranquil area of the highly invasive Himalayan Balsam.

The plant is one of the UK’s most invasive species and takes hold of many riverside areas where it runs riot, hindering biodiversity by stopping many native plants from growing.

Sinead Quinn, who works at Lubrizol’s plant in Huddersfield, said: “The team had a great day removing Himalayan Balsam from the woodland area so that native plant life can thrive against this invasive species.

“The problems that can occur when this plant is not controlled are that it outcompetes native plants for space, light, moisture and nutrients. It can also cause soil erosion along water courses.

“The team all worked as a group, removing the plant, preventing the development of new seeds and clearing large areas where there has been significant growth.

“This isn’t the first time we’ve volunteered at clearing Himalayan Balsam at the River Holme. It’s hard work but it’s really enjoyable to get out of the office for a morning and do something that’s so valuable to the local community.”

The source of the River Holme is situated on moorland near Holmfirth in Yorkshire. Joined by many tributaries as it flows north, it empties into the River Colne near Huddersfield town centre.

The River Holmes Connections charity works to conserve, protect and improve the river’s environment for the benefit of the public, as well as helping educate the public about the area.

Lubrizol volunteers were working at Honley Old Wood near the charity’s base.

Rosslyn Colderley, chief executive officer of the River Holme Connections charity, said: “We’re very grateful to the team from Lubrizol who came along and helped us with the ever-growing task of helping us keep Himalayan Balsam in check along the river.

“We are lucky to have strong support from the corporate sector with companies including Lubrizol going out of their way to help us on volunteering days. It’s really important that we promote biodiversity and removing Himalayan Balsam is a very necessary part of that. It’s hard work but I believe that volunteers who come and help find it quite rewarding! And we are certainly grateful.”

The Huddersfield scientists’ volunteering efforts for River Holme Connections are part of American-owned Lubrizol’s global ‘Month of Impact’ in June which has seen nearly 500 employees from the company volunteering in different projects across the globe.

Volunteers from Lubrizol’s Manchester site took part in a range of projects including creating wellness packs for children waiting for mental health support as well as helping monitor water vole populations and talking to school children about science careers. In Derbyshire, volunteers took two days out of the office to put in some hard physical graft at the Aqueduct Cottage and Lea Wood beauty spot – once the home of Florence Nightingale. In the USA, 300 volunteers from Lubrizol’s operations in Ohio did a whole year’s work in just one day at the Achievement Centers for Children’s Camp Cheerful, which provides holistic and family-focused services for children and adults with disabilities.

For more information on how to help River Holme Connections charity, see their website: www.riverholmeconnections.org/