On one of the hottest days of the year, we were delighted to welcome back a group of hardworking volunteers from Mace, who generously gave their time to support the upkeep of our allotments at West End.
Despite the sweltering weather, the team arrived prepared and ready to tackle a range of essential jobs. Mark and Susana teamed up to clear two large patio areas that had become overgrown with weeds, mint, and nettles. Andreea gave our allotment shed a fresh coat of paint, helping to revive its weather-worn appearance. Meanwhile, Ed took on the task of pruning our cherry and plum trees, cutting and clearing all of the overgrown branches.
Mark and Ed, who also volunteered with us last year, knew what they were in for and brought great enthusiasm once again. Newcomers Susana and Andreea fit in brilliantly, and the group worked together with care, commitment, and good humour. It was another very enjoyable and productive day – a real pleasure to work with them all.
We were especially grateful to hear how much the volunteers themselves got out of the experience:
Susana shared:
“It was a wonderful day and I feel truly grateful to have been part of this volunteering session. Contributing to such a meaningful cause, spending time in nature with the team and getting a great workout all made it a really rewarding experience. Terry was an absolute joy to work with, and to top it all off, I even got to bring home some fresh vegetables! I’d definitely love to take part again next year.”
Andreea said:
“It was a pleasure being able to help out and to see that our work makes a difference. Terry was very welcoming and explained to us about how the charity works and the struggles they come up against. All in all I think it was a fairly successful day!”
Mark added:
“Outstanding effort by the Mace team, an excellent day of volunteering! EBR Mencap have huge allotments at West End which provide valuable outside space & activities for people with learning difficulties & their families. A few dedicated part-time volunteers maintain the allotments, so the work that Ed, Andreea, Susana & myself undertook represents a huge boost to their upkeep & maintenance. Terry was great to work with & genuinely appreciates what Mace do to help. It was such a pleasure to help EBR Mencap out (again).”
These kinds of visits make a real impact on what we can achieve and help us keep the allotments in great shape for the people we support. We’re so grateful to Mace for their continued partnership — and we hope to see them again soon!
