What good feels like

Looking after the communities in which we work

At Octavius, everyone is entitled to one community day per year and  unlimited project led volunteering to support our business objective of leaving a positive and lasting sustainable legacy.

Our teams consistently dedicate their time and energy to supporting local communities, and in recent months, they’ve once again added social, economic, and local value to many different communities.

Check out some of the exciting activities our teams have been involved in below. 

Thank you to everyone involved for giving up your time to important causes. By working together we can  create a lasting positive legacy we can all be proud of.

Members of our Octavius Rail Services team supported Slindon C of E Primary School, West Sussex as they renovated their garden and playground ahead of the new school year.

Working with our supply chain partners BPN, our team volunteered over 80 hours to improve the outside space at the local school. Old fences and gates were removed and replaced, new paths installed, overgrown vegetation cleared, bridges were repaired and made safe for walking over. Also, the the bird watching hut was redecorated and new bird and bat boxes were installed.

The school were extremely grateful for the team’s efforts that will ultimately provide a quiet and relaxing space for students to play in.

As a small school we often struggle to gain the finances to provide the best possible environment for our children. However, with the work that was carried out on the garden and playground we now have a quiet space for the children to sit and reflect, as well as learn about the changing seasons and habitats in our local area. There is also more space for the children to play and the playground has been made safer with the new fence. I can’t thank you all enough and I know the children will be thrilled on their return.
Head teach of Slindon C of E Primary School

Last year, Fleet Pond Reserve played a vital role in supporting our Rail E&P team during transformer rectifier unit works. By allowing us to set up welfare facilities and access the track through their grounds, they helped ensure our team could complete the project safely and efficiently.

To show our appreciation to Fleet Pond Reserve, members of the Rail E&P team alongside our partners, SRS and AJMS consultants came together to replace the life expired staircase between the Fleet Station car park and Fleet Pond Nature reserve alongside replaced the non-slip decking on a ponton.

Fleet Pond is a SSSI protected area and the largest freshwater lake in Hampshire, and the nature reserve has 141 acres of varied habitats.

Looks brilliant! Much appreciated and please do send our thanks to all the team involved.

Members of our Regional Civil Engineering team joined forces with colleagues from South West Region National Highways and other contractors for an afternoon of volunteering at RSPCA centres in Somerset.    

Following the National Highways Summer Southwest community meeting, Chris Ellis ORCE Delivery Director and Nick, ORCE Contracts Manager spent the afternoon  volunteering at RSPCA West Hatch and St Giles Animal Rescue centres.

The group refreshed the garden area where RSPCA workers walk dogs and let them run free as they painted the wooden fence panels.

Our Long Stratton project team donated several gifts to support the the Tharston yearly fete raffle. 

Tharston community rely on the generosity ofsponsors for games, prizes and entertainment, to make the event fun for all the village. 

Gifts that our team donated included a STEM Roller-coaster building kit alongside gift cards for a local farm shop by our partner Lynch Plant Hire.

The Barnes Access for All rail team, along with colleagues from our partner Brendon Keogh, recently spent a day volunteering at the Wildfowl and Wetlands Centre (WWT) in Barnes.

Currently working on improvements at Barnes Station, the team has built an excellent relationship with the trust. As a gesture of appreciation for their ongoing support, spent a day clearing vegetation along the Centre’s electric fence line. The fence helps protect the centre’s animals by keeping predators like foxes at bay. This task is essential for ensuring the fence remains fully functional and safeguarding the wildlife. 

Your stories

Have you got an interesting story to tell?

If you have any feedback or if you would like to contribute to the next issue please let us know!
Portsmouth-and-Southsea-Canopy-with-People-13-brand-removed_O