Corporate volunteers back in the garden!
This summer we welcomed corporate volunteers back to Providence Row after a long break.
In July we were supported by volunteers from Hiscox and Global Aerospace, who have both sponsored vegetable plots on our rooftop garden. Our garden sponsorship programme supports our urban roof top garden in growing fruit and vegetables year-round and supplying our kitchen with fresh, nutritious produce.
We currently have 8 corporate sponsors which brings in an amazing £14,500 of much needed income for our garden. This money helps us to buy seeds, plants, compost and tools and contributes to the general upkeep of the garden. It helps us to grow fresh produce that is used in our kitchen to cook nutritious meals for our food distribution service.
The funds raised through the sponsorship programme will also support the return of our garden training programme. On hold since March 2020 when the pandemic hit, the programme enables people affected by homelessness to discover a passion for gardening, to learn valuable skills and to increase employment opportunities. We every much hope to have the training programme back up and running before the end of the year.
Neg from Hiscox, shares her experience of her day in the garden:
“When I read that Hiscox had sponsored Providence Row I was delighted and proud. Having a partner who works with homeless people, I know too well the vital work that charities like Providence Row do. So, when the opportunity came to spend an afternoon volunteering in their roof garden, I jumped at the chance! Like a lot of people, I have acquired a renewed passion for gardening since the covid-19 outbreak and various lockdowns that I thought I could put to good use.
I spent an afternoon (on one of the hottest days of the year I might add!) with Providence Row’s Garden Co-ordinator Julie - what a treat that was. Not only was I helping to maintain the rooftop oasis which produces masses of fruit and veg every year for meals made on site, but I got to work alongside a gardening veteran of 50 years! I feel very blessed to work for a company that sponsors such an inspiring charity and would highly recommend the corporate sponsorship programme. Thank you, Providence Row for all you do.”
We look forward to welcoming many more volunteers in the coming months and would like to thank all our corporate sponsors for their support this year.
See more about our garden
See more about corporate sponsorship