Summer’s in full swing, and with sunshine blazing and heatwaves rolling in, it’s the perfect excuse to step outside, soak up the rays, and make the most of the great outdoors. At Cromwell, we don’t just enjoy the sunshine, we put it to good use. From our annual Summer Party to sun-soaked community litter picks, July has been all about celebrating our team and giving back to the planet.
Staff Celebrations at the Summer Party
Just six months in, and 2025 is already shaping up to be a productive year for Cromwell. So how do we celebrate everyone’s hard work? By raising a glass with the people who made it all happen — our incredible team. For the second year running, we threw open the gates for our Summer Party, giving everyone a chance to swap spreadsheets for sunshine and come together outside of working hours.
Then came the moment of glory: our annual Sports Day. Picture it — full-grown adults fiercely battling through egg-and-spoon chaos, three-legged mayhem, and the utterly on-brand ‘refuse sack’ race. From side-splitting stumbles to unlikely athleticism, the competition was fierce, the laughter was louder, and the team spirit was off the charts. With quizzes, games and a bucketload of banter, the day was a roaring success — the kind that reminds us why we’re proud to be part of Team Cromwell.
Park Litter Picks
While our summer party brought the celebrations, we also made time to get our hands dirty, for all the right reasons. Manchester’s Heaton Park has seen its fair share of foot traffic lately, especially with the long-awaited Oasis reunion, which saw over 80,000 fans attend. But while the crowds came for Gallagher nostalgia, we turned up for something a little less glamorous but far more meaningful: a community litter pick. As long-standing supporters of local authorities across Greater Manchester, we took to one of the region’s most iconic parks to lend a hand and a bin bag in support of Keep Britain Tidy’s ‘Love Parks Week’.
Staying true to our cleaner, greener, more resourceful ethos, our team of volunteers tackled the sprawling 600-acre site with gusto, collecting everything from crushed cans to stray crisp packets. With visitor numbers soaring recently, so too had the litter, but that didn’t faze us. After a few hours in the rain, we managed to fill our bags with the stray waste, and now Heaton Park was looking pristine once more, ready to be enjoyed safely by the public, pets and wildlife alike. A tidy park, a cleaner community, and a small act that supports both our planet and our customers — that’s Cromwell in action.
Making a Clean Sweep in Clayton Park
Following our successful clean-up at Heaton Park, the Cromwell team took their litter pick gear just five miles down the road to Clayton Park & Hall. This time, we were joined by the fantastic folks from the Keep Britain Tidy Team and supportive staff from Manchester’s Councils. With bin bags in hand and boots on the ground, our crew of 12 volunteers set to work tidying up this bustling park and its well-loved play area.
In just one hour, the results were impressive. Cromwell’s team filled four full bags of waste—and the volunteers matched us bag for bag, resulting in 29 bags in total after a 2 hour stint. By the end, Clayton Park gleamed with the same cleanliness as its big sibling, Heaton.
But we didn’t stop there. On our way home, we made a special delivery to a local food bank desperately short on refuse sacks and bin liners. We handed over more than 10,000 bags to help keep them well-stocked in the months ahead.
Here’s to the next 6 months
From games and giggles to gloves and grabbers, our summer activities perfectly captured the Cromwell spirit – a team that knows how to celebrate success, support each other, and take action where it matters. Whether we’re enjoying an ice cream in the sun or filling bags with litter in a local park, everything we do is guided by the same values: people, community, commitment, and care for the environment. Here’s to a fantastic first half of 2025 — and to even more moments of teamwork, laughter, and positive impact in the months ahead.