Puddington care home seeks volunteers to help with nature trail and sensory garden projects

Chapel House Care, which runs two care homes in Puddington, is looking for more volunteers to help with their community projects.

 June 1-7 is National Volunteers' Week, an annual celebration of the contribution millions of people make across the UK through volunteering.

 Cathrina Moore, an Admiral Nurse who runs The Chapel House and Plessington Court, is looking for volunteers to help her to create a nature trail and sensory garden for residents and visitors.

 She said: "Our first project is to create a nature trail through our woodland and a sensory garden which will become a learning environment, but there's going to be much more to the learning than nature.

 "We're keen to hear from anyone who has a bit of free time available to help with our projects. We're looking for people who can help with ground works, planting and gardening.

 "We're open to ideas as well so if people have a particular gift they would like to share - from playing the accordion to baking or making rag-rugs – we would love to talk to them too."

 Chapel House Care is a family business which was established in 1987 by the Moore family. The homes offer residential, nursing and dementia care in a safe, secure and friendly environment in the heart of Puddington, Cheshire.

 Over recent weeks, local volunteer Barry Dawson has been working with the care homes.

Barry beside one of his planters

 Cathrina said: "Barry asked us if we had any volunteering opportunities available because he enjoys putting his practical skills to good use. 

 "He has been an absolute star, helping with requests from both the homes and our café.

 "So far, he has brought the planters at the front of the homes back to life with an array of different flowers. He has reshaped the serving area in the café by repurposing some shelving and repaired broken drawers and cupboards. He has been amazing and really helped with improvements."

 Barry said: "I enjoy volunteering to do gardening and other jobs knowing that it is helping, in some way, to make life better for people in the care homes."

 An Open Afternoon for people thinking of becoming a volunteer is being held on Wednesday June 8th between 2-4pm at the GIFT Café, Chapel House Lane, Puddington, Cheshire CH64 5SW.

 Anyone interested can contact the admin team in the homes on 0151 336 2323 or email [email protected]