A group of scientists, engineers and office staff from Huddersfield and Barnsley Lubrizol sites swapped their jobs for the outdoors for a morning to help clear a popular Yorkshire walking spot of one of the UK’s most invasive weeds.
A group of 10 from Lubrizol, which has sites in both locations, were volunteering with the River Holme Connections charity, which is working to conserve and improve the Yorkshire river for the benefit of the area.
The volunteer morning, part of the company’s ‘Building Global Bonds’ initiative to give back to communities around the world, saw Lubrizol employees don waders and clear a large site at Upper House Dike in Huddersfield from highly invasive Himalayan Balsam.
The plant has rapidly become one of the UK’s most invasive plants and takes hold of many riverside areas, preventing native species from growing.
Faiza Mahmood, a chemist from Lubrizol, was one of the group of volunteers who spent hours getting their backs into pulling out armfuls of Himalayan Balsam to try and keep the plant in check along the River Holme.
She said: “Some of us were in the river, and others along the side, pulling the Balsam up by the roots. It was a really good day. We did about a 100 metre stretch. When we were leaving the area, some local homeowners came out and thanked us for our work and asked us when we would be back! They have been trying to keep it in check too, and I think they really appreciated it.
“It was very peaceful to be working beside the flowing river. And it was a very satisfying task. Any opportunity we get to volunteer and improve our local environment, we jump at it!”
River Holme Connections works with different companies in the Huddersfield area who come and help beat back the huge problem of Himalayan Balsam, so that biodiversity in the area can have a better chance.
Teams from Lubrizol have volunteered for the charity before, and they also help other local good causes such as Project Youth Cancer, which among its other work delivers festive boxes to young cancer patients who are spending Christmas in hospital.
This story was written and shared on behalf of Lubrizol by Lucy Stephens. Can we share your news and get you in the headlines too? Find out how we can help by getting in touch.
