A recycling and renewables company has been thanked for its generosity after donating a large quantity of free soil to Dorset’s disability charity.
Diverse Abilities says the two bulk bags of soil from Eco Sustainable Solutions will benefit children using The Nature Nook at its Treehouse site in Hurn.
Francesca Potton, Community Fundraiser, said: “The donation of soil from Eco means so much to us and our ambition to get children experiencing outdoor learning no matter what their disability.
“The Nature Nook based at The Treehouse in Hurn runs sessions for all children to explore nature, develop practical skills and engage in imaginative play.
“The kind donation of soil means we can continue to develop this area, with a particular focus on adding additional planters so that children can plant and grow their own plants, fruits and vegetables.”
Eco Sustainable Solutions, which handles green and food waste for both BCP Council and Dorset Council, offered free soil and compost to 30 good causes to mark its 30th anniversary.
The company is donating up to two bags of product delivered per cause free of charge.
Bryony-Mai Hammond, Marketing Executive, said: “This is our way of putting something back into the community and saying a very big ‘thank you’ for all the support we’ve received over the last three decades.”
Founded in 1995, Eco now has a £17m turnover and employs 53 people with sites at Parley, Piddlehinton and Weymouth.
Since the company began trading it has recycled more than 4.3m tonnes of organic material, preventing over 2m tonnes of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) from being emitted to the atmosphere – the equivalent of over 250,000 return flights to Australia!
Over the past 30 years, Eco has led a variety of sustainable projects from organic waste recycling, producing green power from food waste to developing, at the time, the largest solar farm in Europe. It has also been instrumental in developing and promoting organic recycling on a national level, to benefit on a global scale.
Eco currently recycles over 235,000 tonnes of organic material each year, converting it into renewable energy or high-quality landscaping products such as certified composts, mulch and nutrient rich topsoil.
The company is currently building a new Anaerobic Digestion (AD) facility at its Parley Eco Park. On track for commissioning this year, the plant will generate enough energy to heat more than 7,000 homes.
* Picture caption: Eco’s Bryony Mai-Hammond (right) with Francesca Potton, Community Fundraiser, Diverse Abilities. Picture: Andrew Diprose.