VOLUNTEERS from Miller Homes’ Scotland East team have kicked off a new charity partnership with Groundwork, designed to provide outdoor play and learning opportunities.
The partnership was launched with a volunteering day on 15 January, where a team of Miller Homes employees worked alongside Groundwork to help create a new outdoor classroom at Craigmillar Castle Park in Edinburgh.
The classroom will enable more children and families to benefit from Groundwork’s Wellies in the Woods programme, a national initiative that helps under-fives build confidence, language and literacy skills through outdoor play.
The Miller Homes team supported the creation of the outdoor learning space through practical works including path edging, woodchip laying, crown lifting, and stump installation. The day marked the first activity of the housebuilder’s regional charity partnership with Groundwork for 2026. The partnership will include a financial contribution, volunteering support from regional teams across the UK, and fundraising activities to help Groundwork expand the Wellies in the Woods programme.
Gary Heaney, regional MD for Miller Homes Scotland East, said, “We’re proud to be launching our charity partnership with Groundwork and to be doing so in such a hands-on way. Creating this outdoor classroom at Craigmillar Castle Park will make a real impact, helping more children and families benefit from outdoor learning through the Wellies in the Woods programme.
“Groundwork closely aligns with our purpose of creating places where people and planet prosper. As a responsible developer, we’re committed to supporting nature and enhancing the communities where we build, and this partnership is a great example of how we can make a positive difference together.”
Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK chief executive, added, “It’s wonderful to kick off the new year in partnership with Miller Homes in support of our Wellies in the Woods programme. Ensuring children and their families can thrive in nature is core to Groundwork’s mission – it’s also something that we can’t do without the vital support of our partners. We’re excited to see the impact of this partnership in communities across the UK.”
Groundwork is working with Edinburgh and Lothian Greenspace Trust to support delivery of the Wellies in the Woods programme in Scotland. To find out more about Wellies in the Woods, visit https://www.groundwork.org.uk/wellies-national/.
