A prominent North East decorative paints and coatings manufacturer is helping to give back to nature through an innovative partnership with Northumberland National Park Authority.
AkzoNobel’s Ashington site has selected the National Park as its charity of the year and has committed to support the organisation with a number of restoration projects and volunteering activities over the next 12 months.
“We’re delighted to be partnering with Northumberland National Park,” said Jeff Hope, head of manufacturing unit at AkzoNobel Ashington.
“Every year, employees are asked to nominate one local charity for the site to support. In the past, we have used this platform to raise funds and awareness for small, independent charities. This year however, we wanted to do something a bit different which would allow our teams to use their skills to give back to our local community, tie in with our cultural and environmental values and encourage our workforce and their families to get out exploring the beautiful Northumberland countryside.”
The first project that the AkzoNobel staff have been involved with is a maintenance project to rejuvenate the boundary cairns which mark the National Park’s perimeter. Installed in the 1950s, the boundary cairns feature the National Park’s iconic curlew logo and can be spotted at roadsides across Northumberland to let visitors know where the National Park designation starts and ends. “The boundary cairns are often the first thing visitors see of the National Park,” said Dave Richardson, volunteer and apprenticeships development officer at Northumberland National Park Authority.
“Because they are constantly exposed to the harsh Northumberland elements however, the paintwork has taken a beating over the years and the cairns are definitely in need of a spruce up!
“It’s great to have the support and expertise of AkzoNobel on hand to help us rejuvenate them ready for the busy tourist season and we’re looking forward to working with the teams of volunteers on various projects into the new year.”
AkzoNobel is using its own specialist Dulux and Cuprinol paints for the project and sourcing all of the decorating materials required to carry out the project work from its Dulux Decorator Centres across the North East.
