A LOCAL community initiative recently saw a team of apprentices from Glencore's Mangoola and Liddell operations lend a helping hand to makeover the Community Garden in Muswellbrook.
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Working together with the Hunter Sustainable Landcare team to help improve the Sustainability Hub, at least 20 Glencore employees as well as local garden club members teamed up to install 24 new wicking garden beds donated by Glencore.
Ross Pahuru, chair of the Hunter Sustainable Landcare Group, said the initiative came about after he applied for funding through Glencore's grant scheme to purchase some steel beds for the garden.
"It was supposed to go ahead at the end of March but with the rain we postponed it. Then, at least 20 of them turned up last Friday at 7am and got stuck into it," he said.
"Part of the issue was we never had the money to do really big projects, all our garden beds have been made out of recycled items donated by one of the horse studs.
"The great thing with the new garden beds is they're a lot higher from the ground so you're not bending all the time which is a lot more beneficial for the older members of the group."
Local clubs meet regularly at the Muswellbrook based Sustainability Hub to tend to a flourishing garden of herbs, vegetables, fruits and native species.
The space has been set up to promote sustainability among its community members, with a range of green practices taking place.
The previous garden beds were rotting and termite damaged, being of timber construction, and were also quite low making it difficult for older people or people with disabilities to access.
Mangoola and Liddell assisted through the purchase of new garden beds, worth $5000, among other donations including a new mulcher.