Lubrizol employees in the UK have supported the restoration of Aqueduct Cottage in Derbyshire for more than a decade through volunteering and material support.
The heritage site attracts more than 14,000 visitors each year and benefits from employee-led work including transporting materials, clearing vegetation, and improving access pathways.
This long-term community partnership combines heritage conservation, environmental stewardship, employee well-being, and local community engagement.

For more than a decade, Lubrizol employees in the UK have played a hands-on role in the restoration of Aqueduct Cottage, a heritage site cared for by the Derbyshire Wildlife Trust. The partnership began with an initial contribution to help purchase renovation materials and has since grown into one of Lubrizol’s longest-standing community initiatives.

Located just minutes from Lubrizol’s Hazelwood site, Aqueduct Cottage attracts more than 14,000 visitors each year and serves as a venue for exhibitions, workshops, and local skills development. As the project marks its 10th year of restoration efforts in 2026, Lubrizol volunteers continue to support the site’s transformation and ongoing preservation.

Over the years, employees have taken part in numerous volunteer days—often tackling the most physically demanding jobs. With the cottage’s remote location limiting direct access for deliveries, volunteers have helped transport heavy materials, clear overgrown vegetation, create steps and pathways, and open up views of the historic canals and waterways that once supplied local mills.

Beyond the physical improvements, the work at Aqueduct Cottage has become a meaningful way for employees to connect with their community and the natural environment. Working outdoors strengthens physical and mental well-being, while the challenges of each project build problem-solving skills and teamwork in ways that traditional team-building activities cannot replicate.

Restoring Aqueduct Cottage Through Employee Volunteering and Heritage Conservation