Dobbies Community Gardens help Paternoster House care home bloom with £1,200 donation

Residents at Paternoster House, a care home in Cirencester run by The Orders of St John Care Trust (OSJCT), are delighted by a generous £1,200 donation from Dobbies Community Gardens’ initiative.

Image of Sharon Dewsbury and Phil Brown with Paternoster House volunteers Daphne and Carol Smith. All are smiling and stood in a community garden. — l-r Sharon Dewsbury, Activities Co-ordinator and Phil Brown, Dobbies Garden Centre, with Paternoster House volunteers Daphne and Carol Smith.

The home, which takes great pride in its extensive and much-loved outdoor spaces, was chosen by the local Cirencester store, after applying to the national initiative. Earlier this month, Activities Co-ordinator Sharon Dewsbury, and long-term Paternoster House volunteers Daphne and Carol Smith attended a celebratory event at the Dobbies store, where representatives from five community organisations were invited to hear more about the initiative and receive awards.

Phil Brown, from Dobbies, presented the vouchers and praised all applicants for their community contributions. Paternoster House was chosen to be the lead recipient, receiving the largest voucher along with a goodie bag. All other organisations also received smaller vouchers and thank you gifts.

Sharon said: “We applied to the Dobbies Community Gardens Initiative for support with our entry into this year’s Trust in Bloom competition. Our garden is already a beautiful space, but we want to include more plants, garden ornaments and furniture for our residents to sit and enjoy the surroundings. With this donation, we plan to enhance our outdoor areas with raised beds, sensory plants and new seating to encourage both social interaction and physical activity.”

Home Manager, Lindsey Worthy, added: “We are thrilled to receive this donation. It will make a meaningful difference to our residents, who are already involved in planning how to use it. We’re fortunate to receive strong support from our local community, including donations and the ongoing commitment of our wonderful volunteer gardeners. We’re excited about this year’s Trust in Bloom competition and, thanks to Dobbies, we’re confident our garden will be extra special.”

The Dobbies Community Gardens’ initiative supports projects that help bring people together and improve wellbeing through gardening.

Trust in Bloom is OSJCT’s annual gardening competition, encouraging residents, volunteers, and employees across its 62 care homes to work together in creating vibrant, therapeutic outdoor spaces that enhance wellbeing and community spirit.