4 Feb 2021
We’ve been busy since November!
As we settle into 2021, it’s easy to focus on the negative things happening around us. Because let’s face it, these are truly difficult times.
But as the great Stanley Kubrick once said, “However vast the darkness, we must supply our own light.” To the Tyler Grange team, that means throwing ourselves into charitable endeavours, whether that’s supporting a charity directly or challenging ourselves in progressive, helpful ways.
Here’s a little update on what we’ve been up to since November last year. Spoiler alert: we’ve been busy!
Last year, we decided to launch the Tyler Grange Charity Challenge. You may remember it from our last blog: Doing Our Bit.
Put simply, we donate money to UK-based charities every quarter (at the least). How much we donate depends on how many of our team members in our various offices commit themselves to a personal challenge.
Whatever happens, we will always donate £100 to a nominated charity. If 50% of an office team do something we will donate £500. This goes up to £1000 for a 90% team effort, and £5000 if all our offices engage with a challenge.
The Magpie Project provides a safe and fun place for mums and under-fives suffering in temporary or insecure accommodation.
The only UK charity dedicated to providing specialised nursing care and support for young people with cancer.
Woodstreet Mission provides free, practical help to several thousand families in need every year.
The Stroud Valleys Project works with local communities, helping, inspiring and training volunteers to discover and nurture the wildlife and green spaces on their doorsteps.
Transitions aims to combat isolation and improve independence and wellbeing for adults who are feeling vulnerable or have limited support networks.
The response from our wider team has been phenomenal. Here’s a window into what they’ve been up to.
The Tyler Grange crew have certainly been busy challenging themselves in unique ways.
Simon Ursell, our Managing Director recently took sustainable living to the next level by dining on roadkill (the most ethical meat you can eat, according to The Guardian), turning a freshly killed pheasant into a sizzling chilli.
“My wife made me butcher it outside so it was a bit chilli from that perspective too,” he joked. Next on the menu were insects! So far Simon has eaten mealworms. “I rather enjoyed them,” he said. Could you dine on foraged animals?
We’re also incredibly proud of our Director, Jon Berry. As an NHS Responder, Jon has been spending his winter making two calls a day to tackle loneliness during the pandemic. “I’ve spoken to some amazing people,” explains Jon, “including a 96-year-old who was one of the first surgeons in the UK to successfully undertake open heart surgery. He even went on to develop keyhole surgery!”
Similarly, Harry Madeley, our Head of Operations, has been using the Royal Voluntary Service app to check in with people living alone. One of his favourite calls was with a lady “who had some excellent views on Trump and what he can do with himself.” He adds, “She was very appreciative for the call and we had a few laughs. A great way to start the day.”
Many of our team members have focused on improving their fitness over the past few months. For instance, our associate, Nathan Jenkinson, started his half a marathon challenge in November, pledging himself to running thirteen miles every weekend.
Stephanie Coward, Aaron Grainger, Carly Goodman-Smith, Lisa Campbell and Lindsay Taylor have also astonished us with their new fitness commitments. Going from running 0K to 5-10k a week is no small feat!
Down in London, Zoe Durran, our Graduate Ecologist, challenged herself to fall back in love with wildlife photography over winter. You can see from her pictures below just how talented she is!
While another Graduate Ecologist of ours, Milly Robinson, is working hard to complete a 1000 piece jigsaw. Of course, it’s ecology-themed! We can’t wait to see the end result.
Conor Aynsley, Birmingham-based Consultant Ecologist, and Angelina Riley, our Operations Manager, have expressed interest in learning British sign language. An ambitious challenge but we know they can do it.
Consultant Ecologist Kyle Mellish has also been hard at work learning how to make chopping boards from a leftover section of his kitchen worktop. “I plan on gifting the boards to my family when I can see them,” explains Kyle. As you can see below, he’s a natural craftsman.
Last but by no means least, Duncan Murray, our Technical Director, is attempting to solve the Rubik’s cube in under two minutes. He’s currently working on memorising all the moves. We believe in you, Duncan!
We intend to keep the Tyler Grange Charity Challenge going whenever we can. Why not follow us on Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn for updates on our team’s charitable efforts?
Plus, we’re always looking for inspiration on new and exciting challenges. If you have an idea you’d like to share, please let us know on social media!
