Nationwide Volunteers Help Inverkeithing Community Garden Flourish

Fife Voluntary Action supported Nationwide to arrange a volunteering day at Inverkeithing Community Garden

Nationwide give their staff paid time off to volunteer in the local community, supporting charities and causes close to their heart. They are given 14 hours of citizenship time to use individually or as a team.

One Nationwide team chose to volunteer with Inverkeithing Community Garden, enjoying the opportunity to spend time outdoors, get together as a team, and help the local community. The garden, located next door to Inverkeithing’s Civic Centre, grows fruit, vegetables, trees and flowers, and provides a valuable space for people in the community to spend time outdoors.

With a large greenspace, benches and views over the water, the volunteers had a lovely backdrop as they worked in the garden.

The Nationwide volunteers got stuck in to several tasks, weeding and clearing areas of the garden, as well as creating a chess table.

Sarah Abbott, team leader at Nationwide, told us “The ethos of Nationwide is to help build society, so volunteering is a great opportunity to do something for the local community. When we got the chance to get involved in the Inverkeithing Community garden and help make this outdoor space even more attractive to visitors, we knew this is the best way to make a positive impact - for both the community and for our people.

"A lot of the team members sit in the same office but don't always have the chance to talk to each other and build a connection - but by volunteering for a day in the garden, they were able to interact more freely and work together.

"I'm sure they will be talking about today for months ahead as it will have a really positive effect on the team spirit.”

Members of the Nationwide team agreed, saying “Today's been very fulfilling, getting out in the sun and helping, and it's good for the mental health. I volunteer in my own time too and I know the positive difference it can make”, and “The volunteering day gives us something different to do - it's been fun to not be stuck in front of a computer the whole day and do some physical work. It's nice knowing that we helped clean the garden and make it a more attractive place to visit.”

Ruth Crighton, co-ordinator at Inverkeithing Community Garden, said “I think volunteering in the Inverkeithing Community garden is great as it gives people a chance to appreciate the outdoors and be kind to nature. Seeing employers support it and having teams of people here is encouraging and really helpful as people are doing tasks that otherwise would have been left.

"Everyone seems happy to be here - there are many mental health benefits, people learn about horticulture, wildlife and plans, and they get to meet others. It's great to see people return and continue helping in the garden, there's always work to be done, so we welcome more teams to come and try something different.”

Employer Supported Volunteering

This is a great example of Employer-Supported Volunteering (ESV), where a company offers their employees paid time off to volunteer during work hours. For employees, an ESV programme can help them acquire new skills, develop themselves within their community, and provide a sense of wellbeing. For companies, this can boost employee morale, wellbeing and engagement, and boost their brand within the community. In return, third sector organisations gain essential skills and support and raise the profile of the vital work they’re doing.

If your team or organisation would be interested in getting involved with ESV, please contact Fife Voluntary Action's Volunteering Development Team at [email protected].

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