The FJG 100 Day Challenge encourages all staff to take a CSR day to volunteer at a charitable organisation with the aim of 100 members of FJG staff using their CSR day over 12 months.
On Monday 17th February, volunteers from FJG – Hannah Goldsmith, Laura Maxim, Jean Moore and Sarah Rankin attended Beth Chatto Gardens in order to help St Helena Hospice with dismantling their Snowdrop display.
The snowdrops had been purchased in memory of a loved one who has passed away. It was a beautiful display in an apt location. On the day – it was sunny but cold and we met with 16 other volunteers where we were taken to be shown the display. By this time, as some had taken their snowdrops already, there were 1200 left in the display which needed picking and boxing up to be given to the recipient. The display was peaceful and thought-provoking.
We then met up with Lizzie from St Helena who told us what we would be doing. We were split into groups – one group picking the snowdrops, another taking the snowdrops apart and cleaning, our group (the four from FJG) were then wrapping the heads of the flowers in bubble wrap before passing to another group who were boxing them up.
The mood was light and jovial and it was lovely to spend time being with colleagues outside of a work situation – getting to know them. It was great to be working for such a worthy cause as well as being outside and working – especially as this was such different work to what we usually do!
Lizzie bought us coffee while we worked and there was a lovely café where we had some coffee and food. At the end, we had a walk around the Beth Chatto Gardens taking in the beautiful plants and flowers that are there.
FJG’s 100 Day Challenge launched in July 2019.