Green-fingered AXA volunteers revitalise Hospice garden
Employees from the AXA finance team volunteered to revitalise the gardens at St Elizabeth Hospice.
Around 20 volunteers from the insurance company based in Civic Drive, Ipswich, revitalised the garden area at the side of the Hospice. The area was left unmade in 2011 following the refurbishment of the hospice inpatient unit in Foxhall Road, Ipswich.
The male and female volunteers cleared the area, dug flower beds and planted shrubs, plants and laid grass seed.
Andrew Bruce, the Hospice’s Facilities and Health and Safety Manager, said: “The volunteers created flower beds outside patient rooms in the inpatient unit, which will bring colour and interest for the patients.
“One patient sat by his window all day watching them work. The Hospice garden brings so much joy to both patients and families.”
AXA help out in the local community once or twice a year, this was the first time they’d volunteered at the Hospice.
Diane Phelan, of AXA, said: “We chose to volunteer at the Hospice as it’s our local charity and the Hospice does a lot of good in the local community.”
AXA employee Martin Thompson said: “I put my name forward to volunteer because my grandma was in a Hospice, so I thought I would help at my local Hospice.”
AXA have a Global Corporate Responsibility scheme and volunteer in local communities every year. Some AXA Finance employees will return to the Hospice in June during their Corporate Responsibility week and volunteer again.