Families on the Island can now take advantage of a new facility designed for their benefit by employees from Zurich.

More than 140 employees from the international life company have recently gone back to Archallagan plantation – one year after they built a junior mountain bike race track, fitness trim trail and children’s playground there – to complete the second phase of their legacy project in conjunction with End2End Legacy.

Over the course of one week, they have:

• uncovered a pond that was previously overgrown and largely inaccessible to the public, at the same time creating a nature reserve around the lake
• constructed an 85 metre long boardwalk from the main path around the plantation to the pond, through boggy land, which is wide enough to take a buggy
• installed education boards to help children and their families understand about some of the rare animals and plant species that are found in Archallagan
• created a picnic area, and built and installed picnic benches around the pond
• created a children’s play area, with two new cycle trails through the plantation
• upgraded the main plantation path (circa 750 metres) from the top car park to the newly constructed boardwalk

The new facility is clearly signposted around the plantation, and complements the children’s recreational facilities built there by Zurich employees in May 2014.

The Department of the Environment, Food and Agriculture (DEFA) fully supports the development of Archallagan plantation into a community forest park by End2End Legacy which builds on work already undertaken by the Department and other volunteer groups.

End2End Legacy is undergoing incorporation as a charity and was set up by the organisers of the End2End Mountain Bike Race. Its aim is to reinvest the proceeds from the event back into community developments on the Isle of Man, with a special interest in mountain biking and family recreation. Zurich began working with End2End Legacy in order to support this vision in 2014.

Zurich’s Communications Manager, Merita Taylor, added: “In late 2013 we asked our employees what was important to them on the Isle of Man, and they made it clear that they wanted to create facilities and support projects that provide a long-lasting benefit to children and young people here. Zurich’s employees are committed to supporting the Manx community and so it was a natural choice for us to support the End2End Legacy’s vision for Archallagan.

“As well as having a fantastic week working as a team together, our employees really feel like they are making a difference to the Island’s community and creating a long-lasting legacy. We are delighted to be supporting this and look forward to our next project!”

Chair of End2End Legacy, Kate Evans, commented: “Over the course of the week more than 140 Zurich employees took a day out of the office to come down to Archallagan and help to construct this fantastic new facility, and improve access to the pond which is a stunning location. The teamwork ethic they have displayed to get so much work done over five days, much of which was filthy and back-breaking, is commendable, as is the huge amount of organisation and planning that went into this project. In addition to Zurich, we received help all week from the Community Impact Team, who were a tremendous help with the two cycle trails. We are delighted with the support received and very grateful to everyone who has taken part!”

Zac Hall, MHK political member from DEFA, said: “DEFA is keen to establish community woodlands across the Island and encourage the involvement of the corporate and third sector in a series of volunteer projects. Archallagan Plantation is the Department’s largest block of continuous woodland, with huge recreational potential. We are therefore most grateful to the staff of Zurich International Life, the E2E Legacy Committee and the Community Impact Team for choosing this venue for a second year as their project site. Their time and effort is truly valued and the access improvements should impress all those who take time to visit the area over the coming months.”

Zurich, End2End Legacy and DEFA would like to thank the following individuals and companies who made Archallagan 2015 possible: John ‘Dog’ Collister, James Graham – Groundcare, Mann Construction, AV Craine and Qualtrough’s.

Photo - Part of the children’s playground area that has been created in the woodland surrounding the lake at Archallagan.