The gardens around St Margaret’s Hospice in Taunton have had a post-summer spruce-up by one of our teams from Somerset.

Eight of our employees swapped electrical kit for gardening gear as part of a community volunteering initiative.

The team from Taunton and Crewkerne spent a day weeding the courtyard garden and its paths, painting lattice privacy screens between patients’ verandas and applying protective coats to wooden planters.

Volunteer Andrea Grindrod said: “It was a privilege to spend the day at St Margaret’s Hospice and to help them with the upkeep of their lovely gardens. The hospice is highly regarded locally and most of us volunteers have a connection to the charity and the amazing work they do.”

Fellow volunteer Ryan Aspinall said: “I didn’t have to think twice about lending my time and effort for such a worthy cause. It was a truly rewarding day and we all look forward to returning very soon.”

Kevin Plumridge, volunteering development manager at St Margaret’s Hospice Care, said: “We are deeply grateful to NGED for their continued support. Our hospices in Taunton and Yeovil are known for their tranquil, beautifully maintained gardens that offer a peaceful retreat for everyone. Our gardeners work hard to keep the surroundings in top condition, and the assistance of volunteers like the NGED team is invaluable in helping to achieve this.

“Their efforts provided the hospice with the equivalent of 8 days of work, a significant contribution that helps not only our staff and volunteers, but also benefits the patients and visitors who enjoy the serenity and beauty of our hospice gardens.”

Earlier this year we launched an employee volunteering programme for our 6,500 employees and are committed to supporting regional charities and organisations by delivering more than 14,000 employee volunteering hours annually until 2030.