Colleagues and friends of a 22-year-old Carlisle man who died last year came together to volunteer at a nature reserve in his memory.
Grant Taylor, who worked for Balfour Beatty, was instrumental in plans to transform areas of Watchtree Nature Reserve, near Carlisle, as part of a volunteering scheme.
He died last year while on a ski-ing holiday in France and his colleagues and friends came together last year to carry out his plans in his memory.
They decided to do the same this year and, with Grant’s parents Kevin and Tracey, met on August 4 to carry out tasks at the reserve.
Volunteers wore orange shirts with a GT22 logo, depicting Grant’s initials and age.
A Watchtree spokesman said: “It was testament to his memory that 58 people volunteered for the day, including some of Watchtree’s own volunteers. On the volunteering day, employees from Balfour Beatty, WSP, UES (UK Electrical Services), AE Yates, DSD, HW Martin, Electricity North West, and Dalston Aggregates all joined forces to complete projects at the reserve.”
Grant’s best friend, Dylan Atkinson, of WSP, who completed his HNC and degree alongside Grant, assisted with plans for Watchtree’s Elemental Garden and WSP also provided lunch for all volunteers on the day.
Grant’s fellow Duke of Edinburgh Gold Award team members also joined the volunteers, travelling to Carlisle from as far as Southampton.
Among various jobs, a new sandstone paved area was installed and new pathways surrounding Watchtree’s Quiet Garden were laid.
The main Watchtree entrance sign was repainted, and areas surrounding the visitors’ centre transformed.
A new dropped kerb was installed to enable better accessibility for Watchtree’s out of hours visitors. Electrical work in a new unit and donations of a new seating bench and built planters were gratefully received.
John Turner, network manager for Balfour Beatty, said: “We are delighted with turnout of volunteers today. Grant was a great colleague and was held in high esteem, not only with Balfour Beatty employees but also with our many partners and suppliers, demonstrated by the number of different organisations represented here today.”
David Hall, estates and habitats team leader at Watchtree Nature Reserve, added: “We were overwhelmed by the level of support provided by Balfour Beatty and the other teams.
“Some of the projects completed with their help would have remained simply ideas, but with their expertise, personnel power and machinery, we have been able to make improvements far more quickly than we thought possible.”
Tracey said: “It is lovely to see Grant being honoured in this way. It demonstrates that his memory lives as strong as ever with his colleagues and friends, which is a real comfort to us.
“To know that Grant had a hand in planning this work gives us real pride and we will always be able to visit Watchtree, appreciating it was a special place for him too.”
