Starting Point Neighbourhood House and Rio Tinto Bell Bay Aluminium
– 60 volunteer hours
– $2,852 value to the community
A team of 10 Rio Tinto Bell Bay Aluminium employees spent volunteering in the community gardens at Starting Point Neighbourhood House (SPNH). The gardens not only supply fresh, locally grown produce but also serve as learning spaces where community members build skills in gardening, sustainability, and eco‑friendly practices. As part of the FaRM (Food and Resilience Movement) project, SPNH is expanding its market gardens to create pathways to employment and build community capacity. The Rio Tinto team worked alongside SPNH staff to improve garden accessibility by laying weed matting, mulching pathways, weeding, clearing beds for planting, and restoring the fruit forest walk, supporting the garden coordinator to focus on essential maintenance tasks.
“We consistently have a shortage of volunteer gardeners and struggle to keep up with the maintenance. The highlight was being able to see at the end of the day how much had been achieved in such a short time.” (Starting Point Neighbourhood House)
The day’s work brought meaningful benefits to SPNH, the community, and the Rio Tinto volunteers. The improvements made the gardens more accessible, welcoming, and ready for future planting, directly supporting SPNH’s efforts to tackle food insecurity and strengthen community resilience. Volunteers gained deeper insight into the organisation’s impact through shared morning tea and lunch, conversations with staff, and a leadership presentation from the CEO. A highlight was hearing the garden coordinator’s story, how volunteering at SPNH became a pathway into paid employment and further study in horticulture, demonstrating the transformative power of community‑driven initiatives. The experience also strengthened relationships between volunteers and SPNH staff, reinforcing that nurturing the gardens nurtures connection, confidence, and hope. The partnership between Rio Tinto Bell Bay Aluminium and SPNH continues to show how corporate volunteering can help create thriving, resilient community spaces.
“Highlight was what they do for their community, the number of employees versus volunteers” (volunteer)
