The ROOTS Service receives an early Christmas Present!
A team of seven have rowed 150 miles to raise money to provide a new uniform for Help and Care’s Roots volunteer gardening scheme.
Local businessmen took time out of their busy schedules to row from near to the source of the River Thames in Gloucestershire to London in just five days.
The Roots service helps older people in Bournemouth who are unable to maintain their gardens themselves. Developed by Help and Care, Roots uses a small team of volunteers with support needs who regularly help with the upkeep of Roots members’ gardens.
The Kayak team donated £800 of the money raised to local charity Help and Care to provide branded work clothing, wet weather gear and footwear for the Roots volunteers.
Gail Brittain from Help and Care said:
“We could not run this service without our dedicated and skilled volunteer team who provide an invaluable gardening service to older members of the local community. By maintaining older people’s gardens, Roots allows them to remain living in their own homes for longer and to retain their independence, as well as helping to prevent burglaries and increase security.”
Kayak team member Ken Young commented:
"The Kayak challenge enabled us to raise money for some great local charities. I worked for Help and Care for many years and wanted to donate some of the money raised to the Help and Care Roots service. Roots help older people to feel safe and secure in their own homes by working on their garden. The money we raised will help to pay for new uniforms for the team ensuring that they are clearly recognisable when they arrive to work on a garden."