It was our privilege this month to don gardening gloves and wellies to help to maintain and improve part of the beautiful 24-acre York Cemetery and urban wildlife haven, as part of York Cares' Team Challenge Week.

York Cemetery provides opportunities for conservation, education and informal recreation for the residents of York to explore. It is a grade II* listed landscape and is one of only two privately owned Victorian cemeteries in the UK.  Founded in 1837, it now encompasses 24 acres and is administered by The York Cemetery Trust with support of the Friends of York Cemetery. The cemetery has over 60 volunteers and 4 full-time staff. Funds are raised through donations, events and walks which take place throughout the year.

Volunteers from Partners and Nestle joined forces and dug out brambles and cut back vegetation on the Butterfly Walk, home to various flowers and shrubs specially selected to attract butterflies and other insects.

Partners director Karen Tinkler said: "It’s a great team building event for us. It’s nice to get into a different environment, away from the office. You’ve got something tangible to contrinbute and you can see how you’ve actually made a difference at the end of the day. It’s really good fun and it’s nice to give a little something back".

If your business would like to help make a difference in York through employee-volunteering contact York Cares today.