What We Stand For
We believe in developing stronger communities. We do this through the work we do:
Improving Skills. By joining The Green Team, local people improve their skills and confidence through volunteering and access to our training provision. Volunteers increase their knowledge around horticulture but develop life skills in addition. Some individuals come to us lacking in the very basic social skills – we teach them and it is these that become lifelong skills, underpinning them as an individual.
Employment Outcomes. As Volunteers develop, they need new challenges. For some, the challenge that they seek is paid employment. Through their volunteering experiences, they have better life chances and increase their employability prospects.
Community Wellbeing. We create a healthier and happier local community, where older people or people with disabilities tell us time and time again that they have an improved sense of wellbeing through the provision of our service. Those who volunteer with us say that they benefit from improved physical and mental health through opportunities offered to them.
There are very few opportunities that truly enrich the soul like volunteering. It’s so rewarding to help a great cause for the sake of just wanting to make a difference to another person’s life. It’s not done for money and it’s not done for praise – it’s simply done to create a stronger community.
Beneficiaries
Our work supports older people or people with disabilities, living in Goole and within a ten mile radius of Goole. We feel proud in being able to say that we help our customers to maintain their independence in their own homes which contributes to improving their wellbeing. Our service helps to ensure that they can enjoy their gardens and use them safely whilst reducing their stress; knowing that someone is there to lend a hand. Because of the longevity of our service, the number of our beneficiaries and by listening to what they tell us, we understand the role that gardens play in people’s lives and owing to our waiting list, we know that there is a huge demand for our low cost gardening service.
On average over a 12 month period, our team of Volunteers make over 1000 garden visits servicing a client list in excess of 300; most of whom we visit on a rotational basis to ensure that lawns and borders are kept tidy, manageable, safe and pleasant to use and view.
During the winter months we carry out special one off projects, such as soft and hard landscaping and leaf and snow clearance as required.
We undertake garden redesign; usually adapting an area to create a safer space or a space that is low maintenance. Following a redesign, our clients then feel able to use their more manageable garden – helping them to stay active by continuing to carry out some of the lighter gardening task
Volunteer Stories
The Green Team helped me to turn my life around. Two years ago I had a complete breakdown and wasn’t able to return to my nursing job that I had enjoyed for 13 years.
I had lost everything.
It was suggested that I did voluntary work and I have been with The Green Team for 8 months.
That was my turning point.
I was shown care, compassion, support and understanding by Dave, Cheryl and David and all the volunteers. I made many good friends.
Gradually my life began to turn around as I gained confidence and I am currently involved with The Green Team at the West Park project, which will hopefully help others, as it has helped me.
I am gratefully indebted to The Green Team for all their help and support.
Thank you to all The Green Team.
When I came to The Green Team I was struggling with anxiety and depression, a problem I’ve had for a few years now. I was struggling to get up in the morning and motivate myself and finding it hard to be bothered to socialise.
The Green Team has made a huge difference to my life – I have made so many friends and I’m a lot happier. Going out with the team has helped with my anxiety more than anything else I’ve tried – and it’s given me confidence to be able to do other things.
I’ve also started doing gardening both at home and at my other volunteering job. I’ve become a lot more outgoing and I’m really grateful that I’ve had the opportunity to be part of The Green Team.
I admit I was a bit nervous at first when I started volunteering with The Green Team because it was starting a new challenge and doing a completely different type of voluntary work to the previous ones I have done for work experience or volunteering.
I have been trained on how to use the large and small lawnmowers and the strimmer to cut the grass – always wearing my personal safety equipment. I am hoping whilst I am with The Green Team to be trained to use the hedge cutters and to learn how to use them appropriately.
The Green Team has completely changed my life.
Every day I am with them I am learning new things and having new experiences – wherever it is – in the office or if it is going out with them. I work with the best people, they are all great to work with and they share all their experiences that they have done in the past – jobs etc. I have made great friends with them all and they have really helped me settle in. They have made me feel very good about myself and have showed me what is like being a member of The Green Team. I have the utmost respect of everyone that I have been working with. I would also like to thank all of you so much for giving me a chance to show you what I can do and for letting me volunteer with you, it truly means a lot to me it really does.
In June 2017 my college course finished. I had nothing to do and I was struggling with personal issues.
Eventually I thought of joining The Green Team. When I first started last year in September I was really quiet and shy but after a few weeks of volunteering I became more confident and I made some great friends in the team and we all have a laugh and a bit of fun. I’ve learned how to use the small mower and I’m practising how to use the strimmer and the hedge cutter. I recently completed a health and safety session and I’ve learned how to carefully operate the power tools.
I also work down at the poly tunnels at West Park, usually working 2 days a week or sometimes more depending on plant sales. I enjoy planting seeds and watering them, as well as seeing them eventually come out and looking beautiful. I’ve planted various flower seeds such as crocuses, hyacinths, primulas and pansies alongside others. Me and a few other volunteers down at West Park have also made hanging baskets which looked absolutely beautiful after we had finished them.
I’ve grown as a person after I’ve joined the team and I enjoy helping others out and making the gardens look nice and tidy for the customers. I have also learned how to interact with customers while doing plant sales and I offer to help out in any way I can. I won’t be leaving any time soon as I love it here and everyone does a fantastic job.
Before I came to The Green Team I was feeling bored and felt I had no skills. Working with The Team makes me feel that I do have a purpose and I love working with everyone. I feel skilled at what I do and I feel really good that we are helping a lot of people keeping their gardens neat and lovely to look at.
I am a lot more confident than I used to be and I’m very happy with my life.
When I first joined, I felt like I needed something else, something new to have a go at, new experiences and improve my skills, not only just in admin, but in meeting new people and having a crack at stuff what the Green Team do. I mean, it’s what the people closest to me always say to me, “You never know till you’ve tried it”. So I decided to give a shot.
I have really enjoyed it so far, particularly in when I went to Sewerby Hall, seeing the gardens and seeing animals I’d never seen before, getting on and having fun with the other volunteers and staff, and showing and trying to improve my skills in the office, which my bosses David and Cheryl think are “brilliant”. My confidence has improved a bit. And it may improve a bit more when I am due to make a presentation about the Team’s visit to Sewerby at an AGM meeting at the Courtyard in September. I’ve got no intention of leaving anytime soon, cos I think the more experience I have, the better chances I will have in the future. So I do think it may definitely be worth it.
It helps me to get out of the house, meet new people and go to new places. It is helping me to get the skills that I need to help older people in the community and the work has also helped me to lose weight.”
The Local Environment
By ensuring that the gardens of some of the most vulnerable people within our community are maintained, the potential for criminal activity is greatly reduced. Unmaintained gardens – being a possible magnet for the most unscrupulous in our society, can be a signpost for criminal and anti-social behaviour. Reducing the potential of criminal activity and anti-social behaviour reduces the demand on the police.
Our service helps to protect our client group from outside criminal activity.
Our service helps to stop crime before it happens.
Our service helps in the prevention of crime and anti-social behaviour.
Our service helps to improve the local environment.
Our volunteers work within our code of conduct – by showing respect for our individual clients and the environment they work in. We give them the opportunity to help others within their community and value them for the contribution that they make.
Testimonials
Corporate Social Responsibility
Many employers engage in ‘Corporate Social Responsibility Programmes’ which enable their staff to volunteer – either individually or in a group and this contribution has a measurable impact on communities. There are many benefits for the individual, the employer and the wider community. Companies can get involved in a variety of ways:- by buying services from our Garden Maintenance Team, donating a percentage of organisation payroll or joining our team for a day.
The benefits:
- Positive impact on the community
- Payroll giving helps to sustain the charity
- Give back to the community in which you operate
- Taking action which will help society
- Strengthening a team through employee volunteering
