Green Initiative
I Love meet and greet has taken the innovative step of sowing seeds in one of the fields beside its Gatwick HQ. Now in its third year, I Love meet and greet is owned and operated by the most senior team in the airport parking sector. The Gatwick HQ neighbours the runway and the field designated for extra planting is merely yards from the airport boundary.
Sarah Anglim, managing director, explains: 'This year, the planting was part of our environmental programme and an enhanced emphasis on sustainability. Judging by our customer's reactions, I think this will be one of many occasions when we will be outside, nurturing our immediate environment. To be able to create a natural area with native flowers and a sustainable habitat for wildlife this close to the world's busiest single runway airport is a major achievement. '
Annual wildflowers can be established alongside conventional cropped farmland and in the first year they can provide a huge boost in the food resources for pollinating insects that crucially lasts right through the season.
'It is a quick and simple way for us to get involved and make a positive contribution to helping bumblebees, solitary bees and other pollinating insects,' Sarah advised. 'As a leading airport parking operator which depends on airports and the cars, we want to be able to help to protect our UK flora and fauna by dedicating some land and some of our time. As the project progresses, we will be keeping our customers up to date with photos on our website and social media networks.'