Over the last 100 years, Biffa have been at the forefront of the UK's waste industry. Collecting 15,000 tonnes of rubbish every day from more than 80 thousand businesses and over two million households. However, what really drives Biffa stretches well beyond the bins. Its purpose is to change the way people think about waste. Waste matters. Biffa is there to help solve the waste challenge in Manchester, and that is only possible by influencing people to think and act differently.

The Canal & River Trust (formerly British Waterways) is the charity that cares for 2,000 miles of the country's canals and rivers.

Rich in heritage, abundant in wildlife and alive with culture, inland waterways are as popular today as they've ever been. Half the population lives within five miles of one of our canals and rivers and an incredible 13 million people use them every year as part of their everyday life - as a short-cut to work, walking the dog or simply taking time-out and watching the boats.

Independent surveys show that nine out of ten people agree that they are an important part of the nation's heritage, and it's the Canal & River Trust's job to ensure they remain so, whilst serving a modern purpose for the local communities through which they pass.

EMERGE 3Rs is a registered charity with a trading arm social enterprise EMERGE Recycling. Its core values are to promote the idea and practice of the real ‘3Rs’ of waste reduction, reuse and recycling and the wider concepts of community inclusion and improving local social, economic and environmental conditions.

It runs FareShare Greater Manchester in partnership with the national charity; as a sub-regional hub, it receives surplus in-date food from the food industry and redistribute it to charities on the front line of alleviating poverty in Greater Manchester.

In its ‘Touch Wood’ workshop it uses reclaimed timber to make garden furniture and other household bespoke items.

Groundwork Greater Manchester is working to create a greener, more resilient city region with stronger, healthier communities, responsible businesses and enhanced prospects for all local people.

It specialises in the following services and is committed to creating added social value through its delivery:

• Community engagement
• Landscape design & build
• Training & coaching for employment
• Early intervention to support health & wellbeing
• Safe & sustainable business support

Groundwork Greater Manchester operates across all ten boroughs of Greater Manchester out of four offices; Trafford, Rochdale, Tameside and Wigan.

The National Trust is Europe’s largest conservation charity. It looks after nature, beauty and history for everyone to enjoy. It does this with the help of millions of members, volunteers, staff and donors. Without this, it couldn’t care for the miles of coastline, woodlands, countryside and the hundreds of historic buildings, gardens and precious collections it protects.

The Dunham Massey estate, based in Altrincham in Trafford has garden for all seasons, an ancient deer park and a house filled with treasures and stories. A range of volunteering opportunities are available, including supporting the ranger team with the delivery of practical conservation and habitat maintenance across the park and estate.

The RSPB is passionate about nature, dedicated to saving it. Since it started on its mission in Manchester in 1889, the threats to nature have continued to grow, but the charity has grown to meet them too. The RSPB is now the largest nature conservation charity in the country, consistently delivering successful conservation, forging powerful new partnerships with other organisations and inspiring others to stand up and give nature the home it deserves.