Supporting the Surrey Heath Tree Wardens

As part of our commitment to creating meaningful social value in the communities we work in, MCS was proud to donate £500 to local charity Surrey Heath Tree Wardens (SHTW) through our Surrey County Council project at Portesbery School.

On Tuesday, our Marketing Executive, Alex Crane, visited the Surrey Heath Tree Wardens to see first-hand the incredible work the volunteers do to keep our green spaces useable and tidy, as well as promoting biodiversity.

During the visit, Alex met with Jerry Brownlee, Vice Chair and Trustee of SHTW, who explained just how far a donation can go. MCS’s contribution has enabled them to buy new, high-quality loppers and saws that will be available for their volunteers to use, and which will last them for years to come.

During the summer, Surrey Heath Tree Wardens host around four volunteer working parties each month, increasing to seven or eight during the winter. Each session typically brings together between eight and ten volunteers. Alex visited one of the group's active sites at The Briars Centre in Lightwater, just down the road from MCS's project at Portesbery School. The volunteers have been restoring the site for almost three years, tackling issues such as littering and fly-tipping while carefully managing their work to avoid disturbing the resident badgers. So far, they have cleared invasive holly, ivy, and laurel, before creating new footpaths using reclaimed logs and wood chippings. This August, they will begin planting native tree saplings along the site boundaries to help restore privacy for neighbouring homes and further enhance local biodiversity.

Partnerships like this demonstrate the real difference businesses and charities can make when working together. We’re proud to support organisations like Surrey Heath Tree Wardens and remain committed to leaving a positive impact in every community where we work.