Power workers have transformed the grounds of the Army Flying Museum in Middle Wallop.

Fifty staff from UK Power Networks Services donated their time to a speedy makeover of the memorial garden, outdoor seating areas, visitor pathway and service courtyard.

Volunteers cleared flowerbeds, re-laid pathways, replaced plants and edging, laid bark and gravel, trimmed hedges, painted picnic benches and cleaned memorial plaques and windows. The team also built a new memorial garden bench, featuring a plane propeller design.

Staff gave their time through a company initiative, Donate a Day, which gives employees two days each year to volunteer in their local community. Many of the UK Power Networks Services’ staff involved on the day work on defence-related projects designing, building, maintaining and operating electrical infrastructure on military sites across Hampshire and Wiltshire.

Caroline Martin, business support assistant at UK Power Networks Services, said: “It was great to see the team come together to help the museum, which means so much to many people and tells the story of British Army aviation bravery and service.

“This is the first time we have managed to volunteer with an Army-related project and the team loved making a difference at this fantastic museum. Once we had completed the work, we were taken airside and given the Historic Army Aircraft Flight (HAAF) hangar tour, which everyone thoroughly enjoyed.”

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Lucy Johnson, chief executive at the Army Flying Museum, said: “As an independent charity, we are so grateful to UK Power Networks Services for donating their time and expertise to helping us improve our outdoor spaces. It has made such a huge difference to the museum, particularly following two very difficult years. The UK Power Networks Services team brought energy and enthusiasm and they did a fantastic job!”

The Army Flying Museum, near Stockbridge, welcomes approximately 60,000 visitors per year. It underwent a £2.5m refurbishment in 2019 and now displays a collection of 35 fixed wing and rotary aircraft as well as historical artefacts, oral histories and interactivity to help visitors get up close and personal with the innovators of Army aviation history up to the modern day.

UK Power Networks Services recently joined the museum as a corporate partner.

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