Gripple Ltd becomes our first Corporate Friend of the TPT 

Earlier this year we had the pleasure of visiting Gripple Ltd in Sheffield to present the Gripple Foundation with a certificate acknowledging their excellent support of the Friends of the Trans Pennine Trail and on becoming our first Corporate Friend of the TPT.

Pictured (l-r) receiving their Corporate Friends membership certificate are Natalie Rusling and Gilliam Askew from Gripple Ltd, along with Friends Membership Secretary, Jane Hall, Friends Chair, Simon Geller and TPT/Sustrans Sheffield Volunteer Co-ordinator, Gerry Bennet

The Gripple Foundation is the charitable arm of Gripple Ltd and is deeply committed to giving back to the local community, aiming to be a force for good in the areas where their employees live and work.

Riverside Corner

Natalie Rusling, Chair of the Gripple Foundation believes that ‘meaningful change often starts with small actions. As a company, we recognise our responsibility to ensure we are having a positive impact now and in the future. That’s why we were excited to learn about the opportunity to adopt a section of the 5 Weirs Walk which links Sheffield City Centre with Meadowhall, that is conveniently located next to our Riverside site on Carbrook Street.

“Riverside Corner” is a peaceful seating area by the River Don, providing a space for people to stop and enjoy the diverse wildlife, including the resident Heron, Salmon, and Sand Martins. Unfortunately, due to neglect, the area had become prone to anti-social behaviour.

Gripple Volunteers with TPT/Sustrans volunteer co-ordinator, Gerry Bennet

In response, the Gripple Foundation chose to take action by adopting and revitalising the space. We started with a thorough spring clean and have committed to maintaining it, including providing a litter bin, managing leaves and weeds around the benches, and picking up litter along the walk from Carbrook Street to Weedon Street.

Our goal was simple: by showing care for this area, we hoped to inspire others to respect it as well, ultimately returning it to the community. This initiative also provides our employees with a brief but rewarding break from their usual routine, giving them the chance to contribute to a meaningful cause without disrupting business. By beginning with this small project, we hope to inspire our employees to engage in similar actions within their own communities, creating a ripple effect that could lead to even greater change.’

Volunteers visit Gripple Ltd.

And after a joint work session in April, our volunteers were delighted to be invited for a coffee at Gripple and a tour of the factory where they were given the opportunity to make a Gripple tension device for barbed wire (under supervision of course)!

This commitment by Gripple Ltd and the Gripple Foundation is hugely appreciated and allows our local Sustrans/TPT volunteers to concentrate their efforts on other sections of the Trail.

We’d love to welcome other businesses as Corporate Friends, so please get in touch if you know of any business with a willing group of employees keen to support us in a similar way.  Just email us at friends@transpenninetrail.org.uk

Jane Hall
Membership Secretary, Friends of the Trans Pennine Trail

Date: 2nd May, 2025