Staff from across the Education Training Collective Etc. have been making it a summer that counts.
Embarking on their annual Time for Tees celebration, teams across the college group have given their time to good causes.
From cycling between all the further education colleges across the Tees Valley to repairing and upcycling donated garments for Daisy Chain, Etc. chief executive and group principal, Grant Glendinning, said: “It’s fantastic to see colleagues embracing the challenge.”
He himself spent the day carrying out maintenance work at Fox Rush Farm Community Woodland.
In a packed schedule, college staff litter picked in Billingham and the Tees Barrage, lent a hand at Middlesbrough Rugby Club and The Chris Cave Foundation in Redcar, and organised a sponsored dog walk at Errington Wood in New Marske.
Gardening was hot on the agenda with green fingered volunteers mucking in at St Cuthbert’s Church in Billingham and Anchor’s Millbeck care home in Norton, while others created wellbeing gardens at Stockton Riverside College and Bede Sixth Form.
Grant said: “It is testament to the charity organisations and good causes across the area that allows us to get involved in such a fun and varied mix of activities.”
New to the agenda this year was a near 60-mile sponsored bike ride, titled the “Tour de Tees”.
Staff members cycled from Darlington College to Stockton Riverside College, before heading on to Hartlepool College of Further Education, Middlesbrough College, and finally crossing the finish line at Redcar and Cleveland College.
The Education Training Collective incorporates Bede Sixth Form College, Innersummit, NETA Training, Redcar and Cleveland College and Stockton Riverside College.
Opening the invite to further education colleagues outside the group, the Tour de Tees volunteers included Middlesbrough College chief executive, Zoe Lewis. And a further team from the college tackled the same route the next day. All raised money for charities of their choice.
Stockton Riverside College beauty lecturers Hayley Hobbs and Laura Allison took part on behalf of the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association.
Hayley said: “My friend was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease a couple of years ago and I thought it was the perfect opportunity to raise funds and awareness of this disease.
“The MND Association has been a huge source of support, providing monthly support groups connecting those living with the condition. They also provide grants to help with essential equipment.
“The Tour de Tees was challenging but I just kept reminding myself why I was doing it and the money we had raised.”
Also on the team, Etc. business development co-ordinator, Jake Rigby said: “I signed up to this one because I am into my biking and this was an excuse to spend the full day riding.”
Having previously served in the RAF, he chose to raise funds for the RAF Benevolent Fund, supporting current and former personnel and their families.
Jake said: “It was a really good day. You got to meet people from different roles that you wouldn’t necessarily speak to day-to-day, it was a day away from the office to socialise and decompress, and a way to give back.”
Etc. business development co-ordinator, Joanne Wallace, was among those working in the gardens at St Cuthbert’s Church. She said: “It was a very nice day but a very hot day. We helped out with gardening and clearing overgrown ivy from the gravestones.
“It all felt a bit nostalgic as it is the church where I got married and the kids got christened, so it was lovely to be able to go and give something back.”
Group marketing manager Sarah Spowart spent the day stitching and mending at the Daisy Chain warehouse in Portrack, as part of their Mend It Don’t Rag It and Neuthread programmes.
“It was amazing to learn about these incredible projects where they repair donated garments or upcycle unsellable items into new pieces,” she said. “We also got to meet and chat to some of the other volunteers who regularly give their time.”
