A team from RBS International has just completed a major project to transform a neglected outdoor area of a Ramsey care home into a beautiful garden containing flower beds, plants and herbs – not to mention a barbecue.
The venture was carried out at Glenroyd in Lezayre Road which is a residential care home providing care and support to five young men with profound learning disabilities who, in addition, have physical impairments and complex needs. The seven-strong team was drawn from the Bank’s payments, cash centre and corporate services departments and they spent a month raising the money required to purchase all the materials.
Corporate Services Officer Leanne Matthews takes up the story: ‘One of our colleagues heard from the staff that the garden area at Glenroyd was in need of some TLC so we decided to help them out.
‘We set ourselves a target of raising around £1,000 but by the end we had achieved considerably more than that which meant we could purchase a few extras. Our fundraising efforts included organising a car wash, making sausage baps for sale to our colleagues at Howard Pearson House and a bag pack at Shoprite. Two lads even agreed to get waxed in aid of the cause.’
After a month of fund-raising activities the project was on the starting blocks and the team members – Dan Mills, Leanne Matthews, Jay Kelly, Steven Downward, Rachel Christopher, Michelle Carey and Ali Canipa – were ready to begin their back-breaking work.
First step was to get rid of the original flower beds, clear the area of bushes and give it a general tidy-up. After that, help was enlisted from local firms who rallied round to give discounts on materials, plants and wooden benches or to source paving stones and assist with removing larger items of rubbish. Prospero, the Facilities and Building Maintenance Company, played a major role in the garden renovation by constructing the raised flower beds and also carrying out the paving work.
Apart from that, all the labour came from the staff at RBS International who worked on the project during their Volunteering Days which are part of the Bank’s commitment to the local community. After a week of seriously hard work everything was complete - one of the final tasks being the purchase and building of a barbecue on the site. An adjacent area was also tidied-up and finished with tarmac.
Dan Mills said: ‘When we first turned up, some of the residents seemed a bit shy or even scared of a big group arriving at their home. However, as the project moved on you could tell their confidence had grown and they would come out and chat to us. I think this was what made it all worthwhile.’
Rachel Christopher added: ‘At the end of the week we were all very tired but felt immensely proud of the job we had done. Seeing the finished garden was worth all the effort and I think the team enjoyed witnessing everything coming together to give Glenroyd a garden which staff and residents could all enjoy.’
Glenroyd manager, Paul Ormond-Smith, said: ‘Sensory gardens have proven therapeutic values such as enjoying nature in a safe and tactile way and can make a great contribution to emotional and physical well being. They provide a beautiful place to relax, reflect, meditate and contemplate – as well as interacting with others.
‘I cannot thank the staff of RBS International enough for their time, energy and enthusiasm in providing what I believe will be a lasting legacy.
‘Gardens inevitably take a long time to nurture and develop but without doubt their hard work is already showing huge dividends. Our service users have been spending a lot of time enjoying the foliage, flora, and the added bird life which have been attracted to the garden, giving our young men a place to sit and enjoy.’
Isle of Man companies which contributed to the project were Eden Park and Kirby Garden Centres, Shoprite Ramsey, Builder Center Ramsey, Qualtroughs, City Plumbing, Colas, and of course Prospero.
Picture caption - The team from RBS International who carried out at the project at Glenroyd. Left to right: Michelle Carey, Rachel Christopher, Steven Downward, Ali Canipa, Dan Mills, Jay Kelly and Leanne Matthews.
