And NRG Group staff go ‘speed gardening’ to help disabled people

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Ten people from an office equipment company swapped photocopiers and scanners for gardening forks and shears today when they took part in a timed volunteering challenge in Shepherds Bush to help people with disabilities.

The ten employees of NRG Group spent the afternoon sprucing up the front and back gardens of five homes on the Habinteg Housing Association site in Willow Vale, which are all occupied by wheelchair users and people with severe disabilities. The volunteers worked against the clock, a la Ground Force, weeding and pruning for two hours to transform the gardens before reporting back to other members of staff on their progress.

The challenge was one of 12 being undertaken simultaneously by groups of NRG staff across West London, and was organised by the Hammersmith & Fulham Volunteer Centre at the request of Kaboura Training, an organisation that specialises in voluntary work amongst corporate organisations. Each of the 12 NRG volunteer ‘hit squads’ had two hours to complete their allotted challenge, which could be anything from hosting a game of bingo for elderly people to painting a youth centre, before reconvening at Chelsea Village to show colleagues photos of their efforts.

Eileen Bonner, Community Assistant at the Habinteg site in Willow Vale, says: “We’re very pleased that the volunteers agreed to assist some of our disabled residents with their gardens. With autumn fast approaching there’s obviously a lot of tidying up to be done outside, and it can be very frustrating when you can’t do it yourself. The Volunteer Centre staff have also been very helpful, visiting the site and meeting the residents beforehand so that they could feel confident and relaxed about having their gardens done. Habinteg prides itself on respecting people’s rights and making a positive difference, so we are grateful to the NRG Group and the Volunteer Centre for helping us to do that at Willow Vale.”

Mary English, a Willow Vale resident whose front garden was tidied up by NRG volunteers, says: “Being incapacitated and unable to do the gardening myself, I rely on my elderly mother to help me, but she has arthritis and obviously struggles to maintain it. Before the volunteers arrived the grass was very high and the bushes were taking over one side of the garden, but now it looks much better. For people who are not very mobile and can’t get out very much, the garden is a very important place, so I think this kind of challenge is a good idea.”

Marion Schumann, volunteer centre director, says: “We’re very grateful to the staff of NRG Group for coming to Shepherds Bush and taking part in such a worthwhile volunteering challenge. Here at the Volunteer Centre we’re very keen to see all members of the community getting involved in voluntary work, both those who live in Hammersmith & Fulham and those who work here, because it benefits us all to create a spirit of togetherness and mutual support. Anyone who is interested in taking part in voluntary work just needs to visit our centre in Hammersmith.”

October 9, 2005