Yaks volunteering day at Hampstead Heath

News

21 Mar

At BlakYaks we believe in giving back to our community and we wanted to celebrate our second anniversary in a meaningful way, so we decided to volunteer with Heath Hands, a charity organisation that works to preserve and protect the natural environment of Hampstead Heath.

Hampstead Heath is a large, ancient parkland covering more than 300 hectares, making it one of London's largest open spaces. It is home to a wide range of flora and fauna and attracts millions of visitors every year. However, like many other natural spaces, it requires active management and conservation to maintain its biodiversity and beauty and that’s where Heath Hands comes in.

On March 1st (2nd Birthday) Yaks from all departments arrived at Hampstead Heath ready to get our hands dirty. We all have different backgrounds and experiences and some of us had never done any conservation work before, while others were seasoned pros. But we were all excited to spend some time outdoors, connect with nature, and contribute to a good cause.

On arrival we were greeted by the lovely folks from Heath Hands. After a delicious lunch, they explained the tasks for the day, which included footpath and ditch maintenance, cutting tree branches and litter picking. After a brief Park introduction and a safety talk, Heath Hands kitted the team out (gloves, shovels, and other necessary equipment) and we were ready to get started. After a slow start getting used to the tools and terrain our herds of Yaks started to really enjoy themselves.

As we were cleaning the ditch and footpaths, we chatted, laughed, and shared stories about our personal experiences with nature. Being outdoors in the fresh air and surrounded by nature was a welcome change from our usual wfh/office environment. One member of the herd, Sofia, said: "I'm so glad we did this. It's so easy to get caught up in the day-to-day grind of work, and it's refreshing to step back and do something that makes a difference. And being outdoors just makes it that much better."

Another member of the herd, Mihai added: "I had no idea how much fun conservation work could be. I mean, sure, it's hard work, but when you're surrounded by nature and working with a great group of people, it's a lot more enjoyable than I thought it would be."

And you know what? Mihai is absolutely right. Being outdoors has all sorts of benefits for personal well-being. It's been proven to reduce stress, anxiety, and depression, and improve mood and overall well-being. And we can attest to that. We all left the park feeling energised and fulfilled, with a renewed sense of purpose.

But it's not just about personal well-being. Working together as a team in a natural setting can foster collaboration and teamwork. We found ourselves communicating more effectively, sharing ideas, and helping each other out. We were all working towards a common goal, and that helped build a sense of camaraderie and unity. We're so glad we had the opportunity to volunteer with Heath Hands and contribute to a good cause and we're already looking forward to our next volunteering day together!