Aviva Volunteers Make a Big Difference at Barshaw Park

Irene MacDonald - Treasurer, Friends of Barshaw Park

Aviva Volunteers Lend a Helping Hand at Barshaw Park

For the past few years, the Aviva Foundation has given Aviva employees time away from the office to volunteer for charities and other good causes. We at Friends of Barshaw Park are very grateful to have benefited from this support.

During previous visits, Aviva volunteer groups have worked in both the Walled Garden and Community Garden, helping with projects such as clearing the overgrown back garden, installing water tanks, and creating and maintaining paths.

This year, a group of nine Aviva volunteers joined us for four hours and completed an amazing amount of work.

Together they assembled four new wheelbarrows, moved three tonnes of soil to fill new raised beds, helped build a new canopy, and shifted tonnes of woodchip to surface our new Community Social Space. They also started work on a new gazebo, dug over and prepared a new planting bed, and moved numerous containers of water to replenish supplies in the Community Garden.

The work completed in just one morning will make a huge difference to the upkeep of the gardens and to everyone who uses them.

Our gardens are open to the public and are maintained by regular volunteers from the local community, alongside partner groups including refugees, schools, hospitals and nurseries.

A huge thank you to the Aviva team for their hard work, enthusiasm and support. Your contribution has helped us continue developing these valuable community spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Everyone is welcome to visit and enjoy the gardens.