Big blitz to complete nature trail

A call for a number of team leaders is being made by the Bridge Camphill to take part in a big one-day push to complete the nature trail under construction at the Liffeyside campus, writes Brian Byrne.

They will be needed to work with a 250-strong group from a multinational financial services company whose staff will be taking part in a team-building day by working on the project.

Local people are also required to help with catering for the group, and entertaineers are needed at a barbecue planned for the end of the day, aptly the 4th of July as the company involved, Fidelity Investments, has its HQ in Boston.

The whole event is being organised by a company specialising in corporate days with a community twist. ’Difference Days’ started out as a standard corporate events provider in 1997 with the familiar outdoor challenges format.

"In 2008 I became a volunteer with Special Olympics and had such a wonderful time organising Family Days, I decided to change the direction of our corporate events and offer our clients an opportunity to experience the joy and satisfaction that volunteering brings," says MD Denis O'Reilly. "Also we could see a lot of companies truly wanted to do something more meaningful than shooting clay pigeons!"

The following year Denis and fellow director Angela O’Reilly launched Difference Days to facilitate 'socially responsible' corporate events. The Irish Camphill organisation was one of the community groups chosen to be helped, and the Kilcullen community’s nature trail project won out as one of the successful ideas.

Some advance work will be carried out in the two weeks before the Fidelity employees arrive. And Camphill’s volunteers have already mapped out and opened up the route of the trail, which begins and ends in the community’s farmyard sections.

The nature path is 750m long and the plan includes a 50m stretch of boardwalk. It will be fully accessible. In addition to providing the labour, Fidelity is supplying all required materials.

At least a dozen people are needed to help with catering. All the food required will be on site but people will be needed to help make sandwiches and coordinate things.

If you are interested in getting involved please contact Mischa by email at mischa@camphill.ie.