As the year of 2021 draws to a close Fred, Dawn and Becky Wilson have written a reflection on the areas they manage along with what they plan to make happen in 2022.
2021 Reflection and 2022 Aims
Offices, Business Units and Warehouses
Fred Wilson
Over the last year we have seen hybrid working become the new normal for some, a catalyst to seeing the evolution of our Hub co-working space with a membership model giving customers their own space for the day, a sense of belonging and an informal network.
Demand for warehouse space remains at an all-time high and in response we are in the process of designing a scheme of five new warehouses of 5,000 to 10,000 sq. ft.
Our office space is now fed by solar, biomass and an air source heat pump (powered during daylight by the solar), learn more here. We have commissioned research into our office space Carbon Footprint and initial indications would appear that, due to our tree planting and other carbon sequestration achieved by our recent woodland planting on our estate, we expect to be validated as Net Carbon Zero within 2022. This will be the latest exciting differentiator for Burrough Court’s office space as well as offering, in the context of carbon sequestration a new revenue stream for us.
As ever Burrough Court remains focused on responding positively to change even when initially some of the changes appear to be anything other than an opportunity! However, given time and the input from the right people, we always tend to find there is a way!!
The Coffee Shop
Becky Wilson
What a year 2021 has been for hospitality where curveballs have come at us from all angles, but I’m pleased to say the Coffee Shop is still here, and things are moving on up!
It has been great to see our regulars grow, hearing a handful of customers say ‘this is the best Coffee around’ as well as leaving with a smile and a happy tummy! All our meat is locally sourced and soon to be all our vegetables. In 2022 the plan is to build a kitchen garden, so all our salad and vegetables are fresh. We’ve also started our own product range that is honey and most recently filtered coffee.
Wellbeing – Yoga & Pilates Studio
Becky Wilson
Having launched in January 2020 it hasn’t been the most promising start, however over the Yoga & Pilates Studio over the last 5 months has seen two teachers become regulars on a weekly basis as well as our first evening retreat in December, with another set for January. We have built a meditation garden which is found in one of the quietest spaces on the site overlooking just nature, a setting for office workers or even the public to get away from the hustle and bustle of 2021. I’m very excited to see what 2022 has in store for wellbeing at Burrough Court, there are certainly some exciting projects in the pipeline to hopefully come to life in the Summer.
Farming
Dawn Wilson
One of the main lessons from 2021 is that extreme weather patterns are becoming ever more common due to the impact of climate change. We must adapt our crop rotations to accommodate the volatility in the weather and build up our soil health with organic matter by introducing some variety into our rotation, where some short-term cover crops are purely grown for this purpose.
As a result, we are now introducing beans into our rotation which act as a good cover crop and are nitrogen fixing so we do not have to use so much nitrogen fertiliser, which is good for soil health and good for our margin with the cost of fertiliser currently so high! 2022 is looking like a much better year for the farm on the back of a good harvest in the summer of 2021 alongside high commodity prices now thank goodness.
Now climate change is the biggest concern for the world not just for food production where we are being encouraged by the government with new smaller payments to enhance the natural environment. To create kinder habitats for our wildlife, fauna, and flora with an aim to improve the health of our soils which have been so intensively farmed over the last 50 years. In 2022 we will be looking at our natural capital on the Estate to see how the farm and commercial side of the business can work in partnership, something which Fred as eluded too above.
Carry forward into 2022
It is 2021 that will have taught what to expect in 2022 and how to deal with it. Whether that is to not take anything for granted, to accept that we can only control the controllable, to be kind as the world will be kind back and we are better off together.
We wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!
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