Adderstone Living digs in to help animal charity

Prudhoe-based Humbles Wood Animal Activity Centre CIC has benefitted from a package of onsite ground works support from Newcastle-based affordable homes builder Adderstone Living in partnership with N&T Civils in Hartlepool, worth several thousands of pounds.

Thanks to the kind help, the charity, which has created safe, nurturing spaces where adults and children can experience the healing and uplifting benefits of interacting with goats, donkeys and pigs, has now had some much-needed field drainage installed to reduce the risk of flooding across the site.

An appreciative Clive Johnson and Clare Welsh, who run the Humbles Wood charity, said: “We just wanted to thank everyone involved in this project. We are absolutely over the moon that Adderstone Living together with N&T, have been able to help with the flooding problem. It will make a huge difference to improving the site, and help in our work to support the local community and caring for the animals.”

Adderstone Living’s director Peter Galbraith added: “We wanted to help out as much as we could and saw this as a great way to assist Clive and Clare with their work. For us, it’s heartening to know our support will make a real difference to this important community charity, which does so much to improve the lives of local people.”

The initiative is part of Adderstone Living’s social value commitment from its partnership with local housing association Karbon Homes, through which it develops hundreds of much needed affordable homes annually across the region.

Through Karbon’s Unlocking Social Value programme, which matches the social value commitments of Karbon’s contractors and suppliers with organisations across the region, the centre has had a drainage system installed on the site, thanks to development partner Adderstone Living and their supply chain partner N&T Civils.

Jess Alexander, social value coordinator at Karbon Homes, said: “Through our Unlocking Social Value programme and community investment fund we support charitable organisations and projects across the region, to create real impact within our communities.

“Alongside our contractors, we’ve been able to support Humbles Wood Animal Activity Centre to create a more accessible and safer environment for visitors to enjoy and experience the benefits of working with animals.”

Nicholas Leat, N&T Civils managing director, said: “It was very nice to meet Clare & Clive to see the work that they do and delighted that we could get the drainage work, which will make a big difference, completed as quickly as possible.”

Working with local authorities and housing associations, Adderstone Living’s ‘land-led’ solutions involve the sourcing of suitable land, scheme design and securing of planning permissions before delivering quality homes.