Acts of Kindness

Volunteer Now was delighted to get an update from one of the companies involved in our Employer Supported Volunteering programme.   Last October Calvert Office Equipment had responded to an ask from the Renal Unit of Belfast City Hospital, to create a garden area which could be used by patients, staff and visitors.  Before Christmas they started by tidying up the area, which is an inner courtyard and provided planters and Christmas lights.   Alan Roper from Calvert shares  this news  of how the staff been able to make a difference for the nursing staff at the unit during the pandemic.

“I thought I would drop you this email to keep you posted on what is going on in the garden at the Renal Unit you paired us with.  Obviously with the Lockdown and with the health and safety of our staff and everyone at the Unit we had to stop any maintenance of the garden (luckily we managed to get in for some planting just before the Covid-19 outbreak).  However, we are just about to get back to it and thought I would share with you what is going on.  Since the Covid-19 outbreak the working conditions at the Renal Unit have been very difficult (and hot) with the nursing staff wearing gowns and masks etc.  To improve this the Belfast Trust has installed a door from the staff Room to the courtyard garden to provide a fresh air lunch and break out space for the nurses.  On hearing this, a member of our staff donated a set of Teak furniture comprising of a table, six chairs and parasol.  It needed some TLC and as you can see from the photos we got some our staff to spend a few days renovating the furniture.  We now have it delivered, placed and needless to say the staff at the hospital are extremely happy and grateful.   It’s a great place to sit for lunch and for tea breaks particularly with the good weather we are having.

From next week we are hoping to get back to volunteering in the garden (socially distanced of course).   There is also a little more work to be done on the furniture and weeding/tidying up of another area nearby and we are looking forward to getting stuck into that.

Thanks again for arranging this volunteering opportunity, it has worked out really well for us.”

If your organisation has an activity which could be undertaken by a team of employees contact: Lorraine.Smyth@volunteernow.co.uk   Find out more about Employer Supported Volunteering  https://www.volunteernow.co.uk/volunteering/employer-supported-volunteering/