EXXONMOBIL sends 15 Fawley workers to transform The Lodge’s garden

EXXONMOBIL sends 15 Fawley workers to transform The Lodge’s garden alongside Foundation Studies students

Petrochemical giant ExxonMobil sent 15 of its Fawley refinery workers to Brock recently to help Foundation Studies students transform the garden at The Lodge, which is the College’s onsite independent living facility.

The work was all part of ExxonMobil’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiative, known as a ‘Day of Caring’, which sees the corporation allocate time to help boost the local environment.

The workers and students weeded and dug over flower beds, replanted bulbs and shrubs, and re

stored furniture and bird houses.

Student Jodie White said: “We use The Lodge all the time, so I’m glad the garden looks really nice now.

“My favourite part of the day was sanding down the old benches and re-painting them. Now they look like new.”

Foundation Studies Co-ordinator Elaine Axton applied for the extra help after reading about the CSR programme in ExxonMobil’s community newsletter earlier this year.

She said afterwards: “There’s been some great teamwork on show all day, which is so important for our Foundation Studies students. Working on this garden has given them a real sense of ownership.”

Alison Jones from ExxonMobil’s Community Affairs Department said: “From our point of view we’re a huge organisation and should be out in the local community.

“We’re thrilled to be working with Brockenhurst College and hope to build on our relationship, particularly within the STEM subjects,” she added.