Staff from Zurich Insurance’s Cardiff office recently visited George Thomas Hospice Care in Whitchurch, Cardiff to lend a hand with the construction and preparation of our new garden project!
The visit was part of the Zurich Community Trust’s Challenge Events programme, which tasks employees to work in partnership with local charities in need of assistance. Many members of the team worked with our volunteer gardeners, led by Head Gardener Jim Goodwin, on last year’s award winning Hospice for Garden Living at the RHS Cardiff Flower Show.
This year’s challenge was to lay the ground work on recreating the award winning garden at the hospice site. The work involved digging a large pit for a wildlife pond, raising and painting a pergola, and altering the paving and turf layouts.
Once again under Jim’s expert guidance, the team exceeded all expectations, also completing work on the summer house and a number of other floral areas in the garden.
“Our team of volunteer gardeners have been busy preparing the hospice gardens for our Open Day in July as part of the National Gardens Scheme, and are transforming an area of the garden that has previously been very much a poor relation. When they were faced with digging the pit for a water feature and erecting a pergola, we knew just who to call! I’m immensely grateful for the team from Zurich who gave up a Saturday to do the necessary ‘heavy lifting’, and look forward to inviting them back very soon to see the fruit of their labours when the project is complete” – Mike Walsh, George Thomas Hospice Care CEO
Members of the team have offered to come back at the final stages of the project to help with its completion, which we’re overjoyed to hear.
From all the patients, family members, and local community that will benefit from the beauty, tranquillity, and relaxation the garden will bring – thank you Zurich!
