Our staff love to give back to the communities in which they live and work especially when it comes to improving the local environment.

So when a chance to do some hedge planting came up, Shipston lettings manager Sarah Scaysbrook jumped at the chance.

It followed a “People, Planet, Pint” sustainability event Sarah went to earlier this year featuring a variety of community organisations and charities. Through it she was put in touch with CPRE Warwickshire’s Gary Pearce who invited her to come along to a hedgerow planting day in Luddington just outside Stratford.

The aim was to plant between 100m and 125m of hedgerow along the footpath next to All Saints Church.

Sarah commandeered some willing helpers from the Shipston office – sales manager Amy Nicholson, rural surveyor Archie Benson and graduate rural surveyor Jack Gamble – who joined a team of volunteers for the day.

After a demonstration they were put into teams of two or three to start planting. The day-long session resulted in a hedgerow of hawthorn, maple, acer and blackthorn.

During a break for lunch they had a visit from Stratford MP Manuela Perteghella who was keen to see the work being done.

Sarah said: “It was a fantastic day. It was hard work but really enjoyable.

“The team behind the scenes was well organised and had prepared everything we needed including hi viz jackets, gloves, the spits which is a type of spade, stakes, guards and the whips which were a mix of hawthorn, maple, acer and blackthorn.

“Having established a good relationship now with CPRE, we hope to work with them again in the future if they are successful in their application for further funding.”