Talbot team get busy shifting 60 tonnes of concrete at Abney Park!

As part of the Lord Mayor’s City Giving Day campaign, a day which encourages companies in the City to highlight their giving and volunteering efforts, a team from Talbot Underwriting Ltd returned to Abney park to volunteer for a second time, enabled by their partnership with the Lloyd’s Community Programme and ELBA.

Back in 2016, the company had finished their last challenge and were looking at what they could do next. “Talbot is very supportive towards volunteering schemes and charity events,” explained Leanne Challis, Underwriting Technical Assistant, who worked with ELBA to arrange the last three team challenges.

In their first visit, the team distributed 30 tonnes of crushed concrete to create one of the main paths in the park, and in turn creating a much safer environment. “Everybody at Talbot had a great day and thoroughly enjoyed themselves. It was worth every second of hard work,” said one volunteer. The support did not stop there, as when the Talbot team returned to the office, they continued to champion Abney Park, securing a £2000 donation from the Talbot Charity Community Group. This donation went to the Abney Park Trust and towards the restoration of two very important monuments on the site.

Talbot Underwriting returned earlier this month for their second team challenge at the park on City Giving Day, and spent the day laying the final path at Abney, thereby contributing massively to the improved access plan.

A team of more than 40 volunteers turned out to the park in Hackney to help tackle accessibility, a big issue at Abney Park. Most of the pathways turn to mud through the winter, which makes it difficult (and dirty) to walk or cycle through the area. Those with mobility issues have an even bigger problem. To get more people into the park and enjoying it, it is essential to improve this access issue. According to Leanne, this wasn’t a problem: “everyone at Talbot likes a challenge and we definitely received one by moving 60 tonnes of the material! We were grateful to be invited back for a second year running.”

There was an additional team-building element added as the team was split in two and each started at an opposing end of the pathway with the first to reach the centre winning. This added a nice dynamic to the day and helped to ensure motivation did not fade. As Leanne explained, “We are a competitive bunch so give us a challenge and we will try our best to get it done.”

This is no small task, as Tom Simpson the Park Manager explains the process behind upgrading paths at the 32 acre site. ‘With the help of volunteers, we can turn a previous muddy and potentially inaccessible path into a clear, clean and stable route made from recycled crushed concrete. This path will allow anyone to enjoy Abney, regardless of any issues around access, and improve the park going experience for all visitors. This work is labour intensive, involving lots of wheelbarrowing and raking, but is incredibly rewarding and leaves a visible and lasting legacy.’

Thank you to Talbot Underwriting for your continued support at Abney Park, and to Leanne for arranging the events and championing volunteering, and the park, within your team.