Christmas spirit arrives early for charity as army of volunteers spruce up field in the summer heat

A community of National Highways and 31 supply chain partners were proud to support and work with the Enham Trust in Hampshire to develop their Christmas tree field. The trees are sold over the festive season to raise vital funds for the charity. 

Enham Trust is a disability charity based near Andover that supports disabled people to live, work and enjoy life to the full, and as independently as possible. 

The project was driven by Matt Kuzemko (Littlewood Group) and Mia Christopher (Jackson Civil Engineering) and involved three volunteering days. 

National Highways’ supply chain cleared a Christmas tree field and provided an access road and turning circle within the field area in advance of the main volunteering day. Chaffin Works, FM Conway, Holcim, Roadways, Core Highways and MJ Church all donated their time, materials, machinery and resources to make this happen. 

On the final day, 54 volunteers from National Highways and its supply chain carried out a variety of volunteering activities on one of the hottest days of the year so far. 

Everyone was split into teams and got involved in repairing fence posts, planting pumpkin seedlings and sunflower seeds, thinning existing Christmas trees and clearing brambles and vegetation. Materials were provided by Littlewood Group, HW Martin Safety Fencing provided a fencing gang, Jackson Civil Engineering provided a welfare van, and WSP and Jacobs provided the lunch via Enham Trust social enterprise. 

The event was filled with brilliant energy, willing hands, and even better weather. Everyone rolled up their sleeves and made a real, tangible difference, also raising £205 for charity through raffle sales. 

National Highways actively collaborates with its supply chain to deliver meaningful social value by engaging directly with local communities. Through its Social Value Plan, the organisation is creating positive outcomes for people, the environment, and the economy.  

Gill Graham, Supplier Relationships Manager at National Highways, said: 

“We know our work has an impact on local communities, and we want to do whatever we can to help them. Our colleagues can take up to three volunteering days per year, enabling them to learn skills and give back to the local community. Last year we gave 1,885 hours to local communities, working with over 50 organisations and benefitting over 3,500 people.” 

Matt Kuzemko, Infrastructure Director, Littlewood Group, led on the fencing aspect and was one of the drivers for the project. He said: 

“From the idea to its delivery this event snowballed due to the enthusiasm and energy of the South East Alliance. Enham Trust proved to be the perfect catalyst for the South East Alliance to leave a legacy that will benefit a community for years to come.” 

Mia Christopher, Stakeholder Manager at Jackson Civil Engineering, who was also instrumental in pulling everything together with Matt, said: 

“This project is a testament to what can be achieved when people come together with purpose and a shared commitment to community. Working alongside Enham Trust to improve accessibility for disabled users has been truly inspiring, showing how collaboration can create meaningful, long-lasting change.” 

Nigel Sully, Head of Gardening & Domestics at Enham Trust, said: 

“I would like to say a huge thank you to you all for all you’ve done to support Enham Trust. As we said, please don’t underestimate the massive difference this has and will make to the lives of those we support. Thank you also to everyone for working through the heat, that certainly made it more challenging." 

National Highways supply chain volunteers came from a variety of organisations, including Associated Asphalt, Chaffin Works, FM Conway, Holcim UK, Jackson Civil Engineering, Kier Group, Littlewood Group, HW Martin, Metrail Construction Ltd, Morgan Sindall Group, Mway Communications Ltd, Taylor Woodrow, Winvic Construction, WJ Group, and WSP. 

Notes to Editors

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