Hundreds of college staff headed out into the community in a mighty summer drive to make Time for Tees.
The colleges that make up the Education Training Collective (Etc.), joined forces with Middlesbrough College Group and Darlington College in the super effort, offering a helping hand to dozens of good causes.
Part of a team spending the day litter picking at the Tees Barrage, Etc. chief executive and group principal Grant Glendinning said: “It’s amazing to see so many colleagues taking the opportunity to get involved and help out the countless organisations doing important work in our communities.”
Elsewhere colleagues were carrying out gardening and maintenance projects, sorting donations at a local baby bank, dishing out food and essential items at food banks and community kitchens and, always keen to get their furry friends on board, staff organised a fundraising dog walk, as well as helping out at animal rescue centres, to name just a few.
First launching the volunteering day last year, Etc. incorporates Stockton Riverside College, Redcar and Cleveland College, Bede Sixth Form College, NETA Training and The Skills Academy.
Grant said: “What we then called Time for Teesside offered the chance for colleagues from all of our group’s college sites to meet and spend time together outside of their usual work environment.”
Keen to make this an even bigger movement, the invite was this year extended to neighbouring colleges in Middlesbrough and Darlington who jumped at the chance to play their part.
Zoe Lewis, chief executive officer and principal at Middlesbrough College Group, said: “We always say that there is nothing more important to the college than the community in which we work and which we serve, and this has really been brought home to us with our involvement in Time for Tees.
“Our staff have grasped the opportunity to do their bit for the community with both hands. Since the initiative started, they’ve done everything from beach litter picking to helping with horse riding for children with disabilities, supporting at toddler groups to volunteer dog walking.
“I’ve been blown away by how much they have done in such a short time, and I know from conversations with colleagues how much they have got out of the experience.
“Time for Tees has also shown the richness and diversity of our community and the many opportunities available to get involved and make a difference to people’s lives. Long may it continue!”
David Gartland, chief executive officer and principal of Darlington College, said: “We understand the importance of contributing to the local community, and we have many staff who dedicate their time to great causes across the year.
“Time for Tees was an opportunity to really focus on a couple of additional worthwhile projects that made a big impact. New relationships have been made and we can continue to support the community positively in various ways moving forwards.”
Time for Tees projects taking place across the Tees Valley included litter picks at the Tees Barrage, Darlington town centre, Redcar, Marske and Saltburn beaches, along with gardening and maintenance carried out at True Lovers Walk in Yarm and Shaw Trust Enterprises Stockton Garden Centre and Cafe.
Teams painted the stand underway at Thornaby Football Club and the community hub at The Well Methodist Church in Darlington, while others collected and sorted donations at the Baby Bank Project, Grow Baby - Thornaby, Fareshare Middlesbrough, Stockton-on-Tees Food Power Network and St Andrew’s Foodbank, Darlington.
A fundraising dog walk brought in the cash for Maxi’s Mates while colleagues also volunteered to walk dogs for the charity and helped care for the animals at SARA Animal Rescue in Redcar.
There was further support for the Stewart Parkrun; helping horse riding sessions for disabled children at RDA Unicorn Centre; assisting youngsters at Young Enterprise and Rhyme Time Redcar; and working in the community shop at St Barnabas Church and Daisy Chain charity megastore, and more!
