A glorious gardening day – Zurich Challenge Volunteering
On Thursday, 14 August 2022 a team of employees from the Charity’s Corporate Supporters, Zurich, took part in Zurich’s biggest annual team volunteer event, the ‘Zurich Challenge Volunteering Programme’. The team spent the day volunteering at the Hospice to renew and refresh the Living Well Centre’s table top gardening troughs.
The Living Well Centre offers a table top gardening group for people who are living with a life limiting illness, or who are a carer or recently bereaved. The group’s troughs were looking a bit tired and worse for wear and so the team from Zurich came along to the Hospice to give the troughs a re-fresh.
All of the materials needed for the project were kindly supplied by Zurich, from the sandpaper and paint to the trough lining, soil and the fresh array of flowers and herbs which were to be planted.
The team spent the morning upcycling the two table top troughs as well as some of the smaller planter pots also used by the group. After a much need break for lunch, Rowans Hospice Charity Staff Member and leader of the gardening group, Paula McLean introduced the Zurich team to the gardening group members. They spent the afternoon chatting and working together to replant and replenish the wonderful new troughs and pots.
Wow! What can I say, the planters look amazing! The day went really well, the team worked so hard and together with the group they have totally transformed the planters which now look fabulous for all to enjoy.”
Paula, Rowans Hospice Charity Staff Member, Leader of the Gardening Group
We asked Matt, Amess, team leader of the Zurich Challenge Volunteering Programme how he found the Volunteering Day, he told us,
The experience was very enjoyable, not only was it a great day with the Zurich team, it was nice to meet the gardening group and have the opportunity to speak with them. It was great to carry out the transformation of the table top gardening troughs. We all found it very rewarding as the troughs look completely different to how they looked when we arrived in the morning.
They certainly do look different and the gardening group members were very pleased with them. Carol and Janet who are both members of the 8 week gardening group said,
The replenished troughs are incredible, Zurich did a great job and I thoroughly enjoyed planting the flowers and herbs with their team.
Carol, Gardening Group Member
I think it is really lovely that Zurich replenished the table top gardening troughs. The team told me how they sanded them down, repainted them and relined the inside, ready for replanting. It was my first time attending the gardening group today and I had a really nice time.
Janet, Gardening Group Member
If you have been inspired by Zurich’s generosity and you or your business would like to volunteer for the Charity, there are a number of opportunities available, please visit our website for further details via the links below.
Corporate Volunteering Opportunities
Individual Volunteering Opportunities
