National Highways team dig in to spruce up community garden

The popular garden at Priorswood Community Centre in Taunton relies heavily on volunteers so members of National Highways’ Quality and Performance Team in the South West offered to help.

After borrowing some equipment and a worker from contractor Ringway, the team descended on the garden for the day and helped give the site a bit of a facelift including a litter pick, tidying up the flower beds, cleaning benches and signs and hanging bird feeders.

As part of the makeover, they planted flowers from a former volunteer’s garden which were donated by her family.

Caption: The team who helped spruce up a community centre garden with volunteer gardener Pip Sheard and manager Lesley Councill (centre)

Volunteer Michelle Holt, who is the South West Quality & Performance Assurance Team Leader, said:

“We were happy to make our small contribution to tidy up this lovely garden which is a place of beauty, reflection, and calm for the local community.

“At National Highways we get up to three volunteering days a year and this was a great opportunity for us to enjoy some team building. It meant so much to be able to support this community and to support the centre to pay tribute to someone who gave her time to benefit the local community.

“A highlight of the day was when some inquisitive school children were out exploring and came into the area we were working. They were keen to know what we were doing and were delighted to be matching us with their hi-vis. Perhaps some future National Highways employees.”

Volunteer gardener Pip Sheard, who joined the National Highways team for the day, said:

“It was great to have help in the garden and very timely as they were able to plant pots of flowers taken from Helene's garden. Helene was a volunteer of our Friday gardening team and a very special friend who sadly passed away recently."

Centre manager Lesley Councill said:

“I want to say a huge thank you the team who did an amazing job. I came in the next morning and walked around the garden to see the difference it's made. Thank you, it is really appreciated what you did for us.”
The community centre is open Monday to Friday offering social, educational and fitness groups and support to anyone in need.

Notes to Editors

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