Stockport-based Glossop Cartons ‘branched out’ into the local community when it invited children from Whitehill Primary School to plant trees to kick off the celebrations for its 40th year in business.
The carton board packaging manufacturer, which is based on Whitehill Industrial Estate in Reddish, donated 40 saplings to the school – one for each year of the business.
Glossop Cartons’ managing director Wayne Fitzpatrick and head of sales Matt Clarke went along to help the green fingered year six pupils plant them in their forest school.
Wayne Fitzpatrick said:
“The tree planting was a great way to celebrate an important milestone in Glossop Carton’s history as well as engaging with a school that’s on our doorstep. It was a perfect activity to mark the occasion, whilst also creating a green legacy with each tree planted bringing benefits to pupils, staff, wildlife and the climate."
Matt Clarke added:
“Trees are a vital part of our environment for many reasons. As well as being important for our biodiversity, they play an essential role in the UK’s mission to become carbon neutral, helping to off-set emissions that cannot be cut through other means. Spending time planting trees with the school underlines our commitment to sustainability as a business and it was a fantastic experience for the children as well.”
The children planted a selection of species of trees, including Bird Cherry, Crab Apple, Field Maple, English Oak, Rowan and Wild Cherry in their forest school. Every child at Whitehill Primary School regularly visits the forest school to engage with their outdoor environment and experience lessons beyond the classroom.
Emma Milnes, teacher at Whitehill Primary School, added:
“Our children were very excited to roll their sleeves up and plant the trees to mark Glossop Cartons’ 40th year. Many youngsters in our school don’t have a garden at home, which makes our forest school a really important and enriching part of their lives. It was a brilliant experience for them to plant the trees and it will be wonderful for them to see the trees they planted growing and attracting wildlife.”
Glossop Cartons is committed to operating in a responsible and sustainable manner to help protect the environment. As well as working towards becoming a zero-waste company, Glossop Cartons is actively involved in manufacturing products that are recyclable and in many cases bio-degradable.
It sources carton board from mills which adopt a 3:1 re-planting programme and uses raw material that’s farmed from accredited, managed and sustainable forests. Glossop Cartons actively works with customers to limit the amount of packaging required for products, which means fewer trucks on the road and less impact on the environment.
Established in 1982, Glossop Cartons is one of the UK’s leading innovators of packaging solutions, including cartons, sleeves, wallets, blister pack cards, skin pack cards, counter-top and shelf displays, header and hanging cards. The firm’s customers span a diverse range of sectors, such as FMCG, pharmaceutical, personal care, automotive and household. The business currently employs 100 people.