SafeNet’s male accommodation has been given a garden makeover, thanks to support and funding from Neighbourly and B&Q Foundation.
After a successful bid for project funding through charity Neighbourly, SafeNet won the ‘B&Q Volunteers Day plus £1000 to spend at B&Q’.
On Monday 23 September, five volunteer staff from B&Q Nelson headed over to tackle the garden makeover, working together to transform the space in less than seven hours.
Neil, manager at the B&Q store who helped, has been hands on with the project. In preparation for the makeover day, he visited to fully map out project activity and outline what to spend the £1000 on.
Liam Hartley, Service Manager for the male service, said: “We have a great garden space which acts as an extra room for our residents. It gives them a calm and quiet space to enjoy”.
He continued: “The transformation from the B&Q team has made a huge difference. It’s upgraded the garden to a colourful, inviting space, we can all enjoy. We’re enormously grateful for B&Q’s generosity.”
What did the garden makeover include?
The makeover included everything from planted flowerbeds filled with bedding plants to a large garden storage box, solar lights and lighting, a new jet washer and 20 bags of decorative garden stone.
Meanwhile, the smoking shelter got a face lift with replacement Perspex panels and a new roof. Also on the to-do list was jet washing, cutting back trees, new planters introduced, cleaning and tidying jobs.
To ensure the garden remains a haven for everyone, a new wheelbarrow and gardening tools were donated as part of the makeover.
This outdoor makeover will give those living in the refuge a calming space to focus on their mental health and wellbeing.
Paul Crisp, Trustee of the B&Q Foundation, said: “At the B&Q Foundation, we believe everyone needs a place to feel at home. So, we’re putting our efforts behind local charities who share our vision. We want to help create better, safer places for the people in our communities who need them most.
“SafeNet Domestic Abuse Services perfectly embodies these values, and it gives us all at the B&Q Foundation great pleasure to support them”.
Research from the University of Exeter and the Royal Horticultural Society found that people who spend time in the garden are significantly more likely to report general good health. People also report higher psychological wellbeing and greater physical activity levels than those who don’t.
Providing domestic abuse services for men
The refuge, which is located in Pendle, provides access to 24-hour emergency accommodation for men experiencing domestic abuse.
One in seven men (13.9%) will be a victim of domestic abuse in their lifetime (according to ONS figures 2022/23). In domestic abuse crimes recorded by the police, 25% were committed against men.
The project was submitted through Neighbourly, an award-winning community ‘giving platform’. Founded in 2014, Neighbourly help businesses make a positive impact in their communities by donating volunteer time, money and surplus products to local good causes.
If you’d like to learn more about SafeNet’s services, please visit https://safenet.org.uk/