GCH staff complete 11 Community Impact Projects
Gloucester City Homes held its Annual Community Impact Day following a year off due to the Pandemic. The day which was held on the 10th September sees over 150 staff turn their hands to community projects.
On the day improvement works took place at The Cathedral, Widden Primary School, Heron Primary School, The Venture playground, The Lampreys, The Pheonix Centre, James Hopkins Trust as well as two Cream Teas at Nightingale House and Broom House. On previous dates during the Summer community projects took place in Kingsholm and Robinswood Primary School.
The projects included;
Heron Primary School
Work improving the outdoor area including cutting, strimming, general gardening, painting play equipment and seating. The team also built some new play areas including a mud kitchen.
The Lampreys
The team carried a general tidy up of the area and painted and replanted numerous community planters to add some colour.
The Phoenix Centre
This job started back in August and was completed on the day, a permanent outdoor gazebo structure has been built in the outdoor area, providing a sheltered area for the community and activities to take place.
Steve Long, Well-being Project Coordinator commented “On behalf of GL Communities and all the staff and volunteers at the Phoenix Community Centre I wanted to thank you and your team for the fantastic support that they have given over these past weeks by erecting and fixing our rather large gazebo. From the outset this was no easy task and without the commitment and professionalism of your team this job would have never been completed. The community will benefit greatly from the completion of this project.”
James Hopkins Trust
Tidying, gardening and painting in the sensory garden to improve the facilities for the charities life limited and life threatened young children.
Nightingale House & Broom House
Cream Teas were run for residents at two schemes, deliveries were also made to those who were unable to join in the lounges. Around 35 residents enjoyed the afternoon which included a range of food including sandwiches, sausage rolls and homemade cakes.
Widden Primary School
The team at Widden School cleared the Year 1 & 2 outside area, created space for a mud kitchen for the children, painted fences and the potting shed and generally tidied up the area so it can be enjoyed by pupils.
The Venture
Re-barked the playground area with over 40 tons of bark to make sure the area is safe for children to play, a mighty task for one day.
The Cathedral
Clearing, planting and creating 2 raised beds in The Garth (The hidden garden within The Cloisters) and installing a bug hotel.
The Venture Playground
Kingsholm
In August a team carried out outdoor transformations in Kingsholm, planting, gardening and tidying. A rose garden was created opposite the new Clearbrook Court building.
Robinswood Primary School
In July during the School Holidays, a team of GCH staff completed a big tidy of the allotment area including rebuilding planters, building and painting a new shed, cutting hedges, planting and tidying in the memorial garden.
Bob Allen, Friend of Robinswood School said “A massive thank you to everyone involved in yesterday’s transformation of the Robinswood garden project. I was amazed this morning when I looked at the hard work. It has made such a difference and will get so many more children involved in gardening next term. A great team of people from GCH.”
Mandi Holt, Community Investment & Engagement Lead at GCH added “It is really great to get back out into our communities following a year off. Community impact days are a big part of GCH and we are really pleased that the work benefits and can be enjoyed by so many local people. The projects this year were ambitious and the transformations made have been very impressive.”
Special thanks to Lovell, Novus for helping on the day, thanks to Buildbase Gloucester, Gloucester Carpet Outlet, Aqua and RES Design and Build for donating supplies to make the projects possible.