Flower power inspires alternative networking event

A group of professionals swapped their suits for shovels and spades as they worked to regenerate an area of wasteland as part of an alternative networking event.

Around 20 marketers and managers spent the day planting over 200 trees and a wildflower meadow at Ennis Square, Dormanstown, Redcar.

The event, which took place on Tuesday 1 April, was designed to demonstrate that networking does not have to be restricted to a conference room, but can be used as a way to benefit the local community.

Teesside University Business School teamed up with Tees Valley Professional Institutes Network and Coast & Country Housing to organise the alternative networking event to help form new relationships, create partnerships and rejuvenate the community.

At the start of the day the area was bare, but after several hours of hard work, it had been transformed into a wildflower meadow, complete with hundreds of beech trees, willow and ash trees.

Sue Smith, Assistant Dean in Teesside University Business School, said: 'It has been a really enjoyable event which has helped to transform the area.

'Everybody involved has been extremely positive and we have formed new relationships while doing something positive for the community.

'We wanted to show that networking is not limited to a boardroom or office setting, but there are alternative ways to engage with each other. The idea now is to get more businesses involved and make this a regular event.'

Watch a video about the day

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