During the past months of lockdown, many people have taken to engaging with nature but for those without access to green spaces, communal garden areas have been a blessing.
Our Fountain Court customers take great pride in the upkeep of their garden area, but their outdoor benches were worn out and needed extra hands to be restored. LiveWest staff volunteers stepped in to help out.
Sarah Hart, Scheme Manager of Fountain Court, said: “LiveWest gives its colleagues up to four days paid volunteering a year. So, this was a great opportunity for some of them to get involved and provide extra support to the Fountain Court community.
“The benches in the communal garden area were aged. Although they still had some life in them, they looked out of place compared to the rest of the beautifully-kept space.
“The garden area is really important to residents, as it is their only outdoor space. Mobility is also an issue for many of them, so the benches allow them to socialise outside and enjoy the garden and fresh air.
“Our customers’ wellbeing is important to us. Restoring the benches provided an opportunity for our volunteers to support them as part of our Neighbourhoods in Focus project.”
Keri Millar, Community Connector at LiveWest, said: “We had a lovely sunny and dry day for this activity.
“There were lots of sanding, painting and varnishing, which the staff volunteers found very rewarding. They enjoyed being able to contribute to the Fountain Court community.
“Many of the residents popped down to have a look and say thank you. They were very pleased with the results.”
Read more about LiveWest's drive to reconnect residents and staff with nature: https://www.livewest.co.uk/my-community/livewest-joins-national-drive-to-re-connect-our-residents-with-nature