New fruit and veg garden for local residents thanks to a team of volunteers

Residents at a Wrexham sheltered housing complex are enjoying a new fruit and vegetable garden thanks to the efforts of Cyfle Cymru volunteers.

The group worked in scorching sunshine to dig and sow a new vegetable plot for residents of the Springfield Sheltered Housing Unit in Rhosddu.

Tenants are now hoping for a bumper harvest after the group lifted turf, dug over topsoil and planted crops in the new bed.

Led by charity CAIS, Cyfle Cymru is an EU-funded peer mentoring project which supports people with experience of substance misuse and mental health issues. It also provides individuals with volunteering opportunities, access to training and help to find work.

Springfield warden Melanie Child praised the volunteers’ professionalism and said she hoped to welcome them back to the complex for more hard graft in the near future.

“All of us here at Springfield cannot thank the team at Cyfle Cymru enough for the effort they have put in to establishing our vegetable plot,” she said.

“What a great piece of community team work – and I have to say how professional it looks. We appreciate it sincerely, and hope this is not the last we will be seeing of them.

“The team conducted themselves brilliantly. They were polite, considerate of our tenants – and, most importantly, they were very enthusiastic.”

Assistant lead peer mentor George James worked on the Springfield project alongside a number of people who hope to increase their skills and boost their CVs before moving on to employment.

“Our volunteers put in a massive effort to do this work for some of the older members of the Rhosddu community,” he said.

“We hope that the residents at Springfield enjoy watching their vegetables grow and are able to enjoy the fruits of our labours.”

So far, more than 4,700 people have received support from Cyfle Cymru peer mentors throughout the North Wales, Gwent, Dyfed, Powys and Western Bay areas.

Together, the team have delivered in excess of 71,000 hours of support, and helped more than 1,000 people to a new qualification or certificate. More than 600 people have taken part in volunteer events, making a significant contribution to communities across Wales.

Cllr David Griffiths, lead member for housing, said: “I know the work undertaken by the volunteers with Cyfle Cymru will be very much welcomed by the residents at Springfield, and we’re very grateful for the work they’ve carried out – particularly in such warm weather.”

You can find out more about the Cyfle Cymru programme by visiting the website, calling 0300 777 2256, e-mailing [email protected] or searching Cyfle Cymru on social media.