NFU Mutual’s Head Office Claims Team Return to The Garden of Arden for a Purposeful Volunteering Day
Almost a year since their last visit, we were delighted to welcome NFU Mutual’s Head Office Claims department back to The Garden of Arden as part of their '‘Doing Our Bit’ initiative. Their return gave them the chance to revisit the impact they made previously and to build on that progress with another day of purposeful, hands‑on support. The team had gathered in Stratford the day before for a full departmental meeting, so this volunteering event was a day that brought them all together in a different environment and in the great outdoors, giving them space to reconnect while contributing to a project that will benefit both the garden and the community for months to come.
The team immediately got stuck into practical conservation work across the site. One of the first tasks was painting our Bee Shed a fresh shade of red cedar, bringing new life and warmth to a key feature of the garden, which will now be used to store all the beekeeping equipment for our new project of keeping bees on site. They also painted newly built raised beds, filling them with peat‑free compost and planting rosemary, and positioning them around one of our seating areas to create a decorative and calming space for visitors and community groups. Throughout the day they also carried out essential gardening work including weeding, tidying and planting to help prepare the site for the next season.
A huge part of their contribution came through composting. Volunteers sieved compost from our decomposed garden waste and bagged up ten full bags of fresh, rich compost ready to be used by our community groups. This compost will support seed sowing, cuttings and the replenishing of garden beds, helping us continue to grow plants sustainably and teach others about soil health and regeneration. Their work also extended to preparing our butterfly bank so it is ready to be seeded with wildflowers, an important step in supporting pollinators and increasing biodiversity across the site.
As part of a team challenge, the group planted two large Ginkgo trees which will become long‑lasting features of the landscape. They also worked around the field to fill in dips and uneven areas, improving accessibility and creating flatter, safer pathways for our Get Active In Nature walking group as well as for visitors and the wider community.
Midway through the day everyone paused for a well‑earned lunch provided by our local supplier Kusina Kitchen. It was a welcome moment of rest and conversation before the team headed back out to continue their work.
We are incredibly grateful to Rob Woodward for once again bringing his fantastic team and for continuing to support our charity and cause. Their commitment makes a real difference and we look forward to welcoming them again in the future.
