Volunteers transform East Preston care home’s garden

The grounds are looking better than ever, thanks to a make-over by volunteers from The Body Shop, who spent a whole day sprucing the place up.

The 18 employees were taking part in a scheme which gives them so many days a year to carry out voluntary work to benefit their community.

Their efforts came just four months after staff from the beauty products business in Littlehampton donated Christmas presents to residents of The Martlets, in Fairlands.

This time, however, they came bearing not gifts, but gardening tools, to tidy the flower beds, paint the garden furniture and make everything neat and trim.

Marian Drake, manager of the Shaw Healthcare-run home, said: “It is so important for the residents to enjoy the garden, both visually and practically. The garden needed a little TLC, and The Body Shop team worked tirelessly to get it shipshape.

“They have helped us immensely with getting our garden up to scratch, so we can open it to visitors during the East Preston Festival week in June.

“We would like to thank Adelle Scott, the fund-raising manager, and Tony Watson, the sourcing manager for The Body Shop, for taking the time to organise and implement with us the project, and, of course, all of the volunteers who gave up their precious time to help.”

Oliver Jouim, one of the volunteers, said: “I personally really like gardening and so, as we are doing it for a good cause, it gives me a great feeling of satisfaction to help people.”