For over six years, dedicated volunteer Kath Finch (pictured second from right) has been a much-loved presence at Edwardstow Court, generously giving her time and energy to support the home, especially in its garden. In this blog, Kath shares highlights from a recent volunteering day she led alongside a team from Network Rail, long-standing supporters of Edwardstow. The team rolled up their sleeves to help revitalise the care home's outdoor spaces, bringing fresh energy and colour to the garden.

Their efforts come at the perfect time, giving Edwardstow Court’s gardens a welcome boost as the home prepares for Trust in Bloom 2025 – OSJCT’s friendly gardening competition. With a winning title from Trust in Bloom 2024 already under their belt, Edwardstow Court is well on its way to blooming success once again.

We were delighted to welcome back our friends from Network Rail, earlier this month, for their third visit to Edwardstow Court. Their time, energy and enthusiasm are always so appreciated, especially as they help us tackle some of the more demanding tasks involved in keeping our gardens and woodland beautiful, accessible, and enjoyable for our residents.

This time, three of Edwardstow Court’s local volunteers were joined by seven wonderful Network Rail volunteers. Their main mission was to clean and treat the many wooden benches dotted around our gardens and woodland, as well as to paint the pergola in the front garden. We were especially grateful to Luke—at around 6’5”, he reached all the high spots on the pergola without needing a ladder!

Among the team was our youngest volunteer, currently finishing university, who added a one-tonne bag of soil to fill our raised beds. Thanks to this effort, we're now ready to start planting vegetables and flowers with the residents; a rewarding activity that brings joy to many, especially those who once tended their own gardens. There’s real excitement about growing produce for our kitchen, and residents from our middle and top floors have already been doing a great job of keeping the seedlings well-watered.

Ahead of the visit, myself, and our volunteer team, reminded everyone about our stone snake in the woodland, an ongoing community art project that visitors are encouraged to add to. True to form, the team came prepared; some had brought beautifully painted stones (including a sparkling unicorn!), while others got creative during their lunch break.

Speaking of lunch, our kitchen staff once again outdid themselves. The volunteers were thrilled with the delicious spread and happily took away mini picnics for their journey home.

Although we didn’t quite manage to finish every piece of furniture, we made fantastic progress thanks to the volunteers’ hard work and team spirit. We’re confident we’ll wrap up the remaining tasks soon.

Looking Ahead

We’re already planning our autumn volunteer day to help prepare the garden for winter. Several volunteers who missed this session have already asked to be included. This is proof of the wonderful relationship that’s growing between Edwardstow Court and Network Rail.

Thank you again to all who came. Your time, effort, and kindness mean the world to us and to our residents.

Inspired to Get Involved?
If you or your workplace would like to make a difference by taking part in a one-day volunteering opportunity at one of our 62 care homes, we’d love to hear from you! It’s a fantastic way to give back, connect with others, and support your local community.

Get in touch at volunteer@osjct.co.uk to find out more.