More than 500 volunteers from 16 York employers and universities have been improving green spaces across the city,

The volunteers spent more than 1,500 hours in 48 volunteering sessions across 33 sites, working with 28 local partners including St Nicks and City of York Council’s Environment and Communities Team.

Tasks included weeding and raking to building a pond dipping platform, sowing 6kg of wildflower seed, planting 17,800 plans and bulbs and installing a new eco-system and flood gate murals at North Street Gardens.

Holly Hennell, Manager at employee-volunteering charity York Cares, said: “We’re incredibly proud of the partnerships that have driven the success of our 16th Big Community Challenge.

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“Thanks to the commitment of our employer members and partners, we’ve been able to connect communities across York through impactful environmentally focused activities resulting in changing landscapes.

“It’s this collaboration that truly transforms our city’s green spaces, creating lasting benefits for both the environment and local residents. The dedication from businesses and volunteers alike demonstrates the power of partnership in making a real difference for the community.”

The floating eco-systemThe floating eco-system (Image: Pic supplied)

York Cares aims to connect businesses with community projects, with the Big Community Challenge a major part of this.

York businesses who allowed their staff time during the working day to take part in the annual Big Community Challenge included Ardent, Aviva, Benenden Health, boxxe, Cabinet Office, City of York Council, ETAS, Fera Science Ltd, Hiscox, Nestle, Partners PR, Portakabin, Systra, The Insurance Emporium, Trustmarque, University of York, and York St John University. 

For more detail on York Cares, go to: York Cares, please visit www.yorkcares.co.uk.