We kicked off our 2025 calendar of social value activity by getting green fingered on two tree planting days with the Woodland Trust.

In January a team of five APS colleagues headed to the Woodland Trust’s largest estate in England, Smithills in Greater Manchester, to support the development of a new plantation. We planted over 600 saplings, including Oak and Willow, whilst also checking previously planted trees and removing guards from those that were established, replacing any that hadn’t survived and filling spaces between them.

Team APS were then back at it in February, this time joined by some of our clients from Versus Arthritis at Hayhills Farm Wood in West Yorkshire. The primary purpose of this day put their DIY skills to good use as they were tasked to build and erect wooden pens to protect the saplings from grazing wildlife, and the group still managed to plant another 120+ trees – cue some very achy bodies the next day!

Made possible through the Carbon Capture Scheme, these tree planting days are one of our favourite and most rewarding volunteering events of the year. We can’t wait to see where we’ll head to next!

A group of 30 APS colleagues and clients donned their litter pickers and took part in the Great British Beach Clean 2024 alongside the Marine Conservation Society (MCS).

The team volunteered their time and spent a day at the stunning Formby Beach picking litter and conducting litter surveys which are a vital part of the work done by the MCS. The surveys indicate what types of litter are on the increase or decrease and what is happening regionally and nationally, and all of this information then allows the MCS to campaign for positive change.

Collectively, Team APS removed 1,166 litter items equating to 15kg’s of rubbish! This was surprising as upon first glance the beach was relatively clean, but it’s the unseen, smaller bits of plastic fragments that made up the majority of the haul and these are often the most dangerous to wildlife.

As well as doing something positive for the environment, it was great to get out into the fresh air (the weather even stayed kind!) to meet new people and connect over such a worthwhile cause – even with the friendly competition during the quiz at the end!

Some APS clients from the Home Office took part and said:

“Thank you for giving us the opportunity to participate in the beach clean. We had a lovely time. It was good for team bonding as well as helping clean the environment. There were many fun team building sessions and we had a good laugh. We’d also like to thank you for providing lunch, it was lovely. Thanks again for a lovely day filled with laughter.”

Take a look at the day here.

We’re delighted that Crown Commercial Service have awarded us the new Print Marketplace contract, meaning that APS retain it for another four years until December 2028. 

The CCS framework is a market-leading solution for public sector print buyers who can use the online platform to get instant quotes for their marketing print requirements, alternatively there is an assisted option for more complex jobs. The innovative platform was built with sustainability and social value in mind and can help towards meeting organisational objectives. 

Since its launch in 2020, Print Marketplace is now used by hundreds of public sector organisations and saving them both time and money, from local and central government to educational institutions, NHS and blue light departments.

Read more here.

Click here to request a free demo.