Family-owned Wilko’s is helping a conservation organisation, so they can continue improving the natural environment for everyone in the locality.
Literacy worker Mr Heaven set up Woodham Academy Wildlife Club in September to encourage students to become involved in conservation projects, but had been struggling to collect enough tools and materials to keep club members busy; until, he received a phone call from Wilkinson hardware store in Newton Aycliffe.
He had visited the store in the summer to price tools and materials he might need to put his ambitious plans into practice. Whilst there he chatted to a staff member and was handed a leaflet and asked to apply for the Helping Hands organisation run by employees of the company.
A couple of months and a delighted Mr Heaven is outside the main entrance of the store taking possession of armfuls of gardening equipment.
Also present at the hand-over was Wilkinson Customer Service Assistant and Helping Hand committee member Richard Tarbutt, and his manager Selema Lee.
Richard is a keen gardener, so it is not surprising he is keen to support the Wildlife Club – particularly as they are to host a Big Dig at the school and planting 450 Woodland Trust trees on the site; trees which, coincidently, have been part paid for by Wilkinsons.
Richard is clearly happy to put his skills at the disposal of his local community – and by the ‘family ethics’ Selema says are at the heart of his employers’ business plans.
When asked why the Helping Hands committee chose to help the Wildlife Club Richard was eager to mention the fact that the project ‘caught his eye’ as it benefits young people, and because the natural environment is something he feels is of importance to everyone.
