Austerfield Study Centre welcomed funds and staff from Doncaster Chamber to help with their environmental education work and community hub. The team delivered a check for £144 raised by the Chamber donating £1 for every local firm that took the latest Doncaster Business Insight Survey and spent the day volunteering around the centre and grounds.
Says Nigel Senior, Centre Manager: “The donation will help to buy another tepee for the Centre’s camping facilities. It will make a huge difference to our residential programme as camping has become very popular with schools and activity groups coming to stay this summer.
“We already have four tepees, as well as tents and two heated dormitories, which are great fun for group camping. The funds have come just in time as we look to welcome large groups of young people, including Cubs and Brownies and local schoolchildren, for Summer School and residential education visits.”
The 13 volunteers helped with garden construction and painting a large outdoor container and animal classroom. For many it was their first time back to the Centre since school which is now entirely volunteer run. The facilities include two equipped classrooms, an animal classroom housing insects, reptiles and amphibians, a pond, and access to 100 acres of nature reserve.
“The Chamber volunteer day was really valuable for team building and making a big difference to one of our member charities. It was fun to see the centre again and further enhance its educational and residential offering. The other volunteers there made us feel really welcome and some of us are going back to keep helping,” said Amy Rutherford, Business and Membership Executive.
Throughout the year, Doncaster Chamber enables its staff to visit member charities as a way of supporting the local community.
Austerfield Study Centre won ‘Third Sector Business or Organisation of the Year’ in the Doncaster Business Awards 2017.
