OCU Group once again teamed up with SSEN colleagues for a Wild Work Day with Wiltshire Wildlife Trust.

The dedicated volunteers spent the day getting hands-on at the nursery in Swindon, which is a key site for the Trust in connecting people with nature. The group worked with our Conservation Lead on tasks including repotting seedlings to promote healthy growth, painting reclaimed pallet spacers for future planters, and building protective cages to safeguard young trees from deer.

These tasks directly support the resilience of our local environment — and it wouldn’t have been possible without the incredible effort and enthusiasm of everyone involved.

Lizzy Binks, Sustainability Analyst, shared her thoughts on the day: 

“It was a privilege to spend the day supporting the Wiltshire Wildlife Trust and learning more about the incredible work they do for local biodiversity and the community. Volunteering alongside our colleagues and partners gave us a real sense of connection to the community and reminded us of the positive impact we can have beyond the good work we do in our day jobs.” 

Neil Pullen, Conservation Lead (Swindon) at Wiltshire Wildlife Trust, oversaw the volunteers on the day:

"We were delighted to work with such an enthusiastic and proactive team from OCU/SSEN. Given broad project parameters, the group demonstrated exceptional initiative and problem-solving abilities. By day's end, they had successfully constructed a walk-in protective cage, installed raised garden beds, and populated the enclosure with tree seedlings they had carefully transplanted from seeds collected the previous autumn. We greatly appreciate their outstanding contribution and look forward to welcoming them back for future projects."

Alina Mone, Senior Environmental & Sustainability Advisor at OCU, that organised the day, added:

“OCU is proud to support the vital work of Wiltshire Wildlife Trust through hands-on volunteering. This initiative reflects our team’s commitment to protecting the natural environment and contributing positively to the communities where we operate. It’s more than just a day of volunteering — it’s part of our broader responsibility to help sustain the world around us.”

The event underscored OCU’s and SSEN’s ongoing commitment to sustainability, community engagement, and supporting the ecosystems that surround their network, while demonstrating to key stakeholders around their Swindon programme of works that they give back to the communities they serve.