30/10/09 - Gardener Gets Wheels
The ‘Safer Hart’ Partnership recently donated a bicycle to Hart Voluntary Action’s ‘Minding the Garden’ Project enabling one of their gardening volunteers to get around more easily.
The relatively new project, ‘Minding the Garden’ provides an opportunity for local residents, who may not normally be able to volunteer, due to mental distress or learning difficulties, to do so in a safe environment.
Led by the project’s horticulturalist Pat Nields and supported by a team of gardening mentors, ‘supported’ volunteers visit the gardens of older Hart residents, who are finding it difficult to manage their own gardens. Over a period of two to four visits, the volunteers return the older person’s garden to a manageable state -all they ask for in return is a cup of tea and if they’re lucky a piece of cake!
Minding the Garden volunteer mentor, Jess Wheale says: “We can’t thank ‘Safer Hart’ enough, the difference this will make to one of our long term ‘supported volunteers’ is huge. “Accessing the project can be quite tricky for members of the community who don’t drive and this will make a world of difference – thank you so much on behalf of everyone at HVA’.
For more information on the project, or for volunteering opportunities contact Sue Vincent, Hart Voluntary Action on 01252 815652