​This last week has been Volunteers Week and MPI is proud of their workforce as so many of us volunteer in various ways. This year we want to celebrate those of us who volunteer in our local communities to support the environment as World Environmental Day happens to fall today within the week of celebrations!

MPI is deeply committed to our environmental objectives at a corporate level and have recently joined the Herts and Middlesex Wildlife Trust alongside our regular environmental objectives but the amazing thing is beyond the corporate culture we have some very passionate individuals who go beyond the work efforts and volunteer in their communities too.

One such individual also then brings her passion into work and encourages better habits for all. Jackie volunteered to head up an environmental team at MPI and has organised many activities from litter picking, plastic free lunches, no bin days and regular walk, cycle or use public transport to get to work. Her enthusiasm is infectious and everyone is happy to take part. These small behaviours have seen regular change for some colleagues. She is also linked to several charities in the area, such as Mudlarks Community Cafe, who also help in various ways in their community.

Last year so many people ended up cleaning up rubbish round our offices and that is all thanks to Jackie!!

​Another amazing volunteer is director Adam Webb, not only does he do so much for MPI to encourage and develop our environmental work at a corporate level, he is tireless in his home and community. At home he takes part in No Mow May, Let It Bloom June and Knee High July. This created and allows some amazing wildlife to develop and grow and each year this is getting bigger and better but he also volunteers round the local in environmental ways. Here is what he had to say when asked:

"I carry out a couple of volunteering activities, firstly, I am involved with Toadwatch, which takes place on warm, wet evenings during the amphibian migration season that occurs usually between February and April.

Kitted out with Hi Viz, a bucket and a torch I along with many other volunteers throughout Norfolk carry toads, newts and frogs across the road in buckets and keep count of those we find, both alive and dead. Many thousands of animals are saved each year; without this help toad populations could become extinct.

 Unfortunately, the growth in housing and traffic over recent years has led to many disappearing not just from my local pond, but from others too. This year 33 toads were helped to the breeding pond, compared to 1048 in 2012!

 I also help out with the village litter pick and incorporate this in my daily day dog walks too in order to help keep the local community tidy.

 Finally, having the North Norfolk coast only 40 minutes away, we often visit to let the dog stretch her legs, whilst we go looking for fossils and other ‘treasure’. The plastic, discarded fishing line and other flotsam and jetsam we collect and dispose of when beachcombing can sometimes be significant, especially after a storm.

Finally, each year I take part in a number of citizen science biodiversity surveys, including Plantlife’s Every Flower Counts, the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch and Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count. All the data that I collect is uploaded to the respective website and contributes to conservation science and research."

Another "community cleaner" amongst the ranks is Lydia a.k.a the blog author. Living near the beach the community organises a beach clean every month, this is always well attended and Lydia attends whenever family commitments allow. Normally along our mile stretch of beach three or four bags of plastic, food waste or fishing equipment is collected. Even when Lydia cannot attend the official clean, she regular walks with family and makes sure she has gloves and a bag to collect anything she finds along the way to ensure a safe, clean and pleasant beach for all to enjoy.

MPI is proud that we have some such volunteers and that our staff make good environmental decisions at home beyond volunteer work and to play our part for World Environment Day

To read about some of our other amazing volunteer staff that we spoke to last year please follow this link: 2021 Volunteers Week