Teams from Unilever left their Port Sunlight work desks last week to embark on a day of litter-picking, painting, digging and chopping.

They carried out work with community groups across Wirral and North Wales to demonstrate the company's commitment to the community and environment as part of its Get More Out of Life campaign for employees.

Thurstaston beach was swept clean of litter and Bebington's Community Volunteer Bureau now has freshly-painted counselling rooms. Highcroft Community Centre in Bebington also benefitted from the creation of a new garden pond.

Trisha Lawrence, day centre co-ordinator at Highcroft said: "I am delighted that the Unilever team managed to accomplish so much in such a short time. Not only have the service users benefitted from their work, but so has the local environment."

Duncan Court lead a team of 11 staff to pick litter on a cycle path from Port Sunlight to Stadium Road, Bromborough - a route used by Unilever workers for lunchtime runs.

And in a final initiative, team members carried out environmental work at Northop Hall, Flintshire, where the Save the Family scheme operates to provide assistance for homeless families in the Northwest.