Showcase Magazine Autumn 2025 - Flipbook - Page 31
EMPLOYERS &
COMMUNITY
Before
After
In July, Ellen, Lauren, and Nicky spent the day volunteering at Mayfield Garden Centre. Mayfield Garden Centre is a
non-profit garden centre in Southampton run by Solent Mind and provides horticultural therapies to help people
with mental health issues. All profits are reinvested to fund wellbeing programmes, helping people build
confidence, skills, and social connections while improving their mental health.
We rolled up our sleeves to weed the gardens, tidy up the grounds, and move unwanted items to the skip. It was a
rewarding day, and we really felt we made a difference.
Volunteering Ideas
Why is Volunteering Important?
Volunteers play a vital role in fundraising, raising awareness, and
supporting the operations of non-profit organisations. Many
charities rely heavily on volunteers to carry out their missions and
provide services to those in need. By contributing their time and
skills, volunteers enable these organisations to reach more
people and make a greater impact. These efforts strengthen
communities by fostering cooperation, empathy, and resilience.
Volunteering also supports personal growth by helping
individuals to develop new skills and contribute to causes that
they are passionate about.
The sense of purpose and
accomplishment derived from helping others can significantly
improve mental and physical well-being. Volunteering can be a
valuable addition to your CV, demonstrating skills, experience,
and a commitment to social responsibility.
Mayfield Garden Centre:
mayfieldgardencentre.org.uk
Food banks – Help pack and
distribute meals.
Animal shelters – Care for and play
with pets.
Community cleanups – Pick up litter
in parks or beaches.
Tutoring – Help students with
homework.
Tree planting – Join local
environmental projects.
Homeless shelters – Serve meals or
organise donations.
Hospitals – Assist with greeting
visitors or simple tasks.
Volunteer opportunities with Solent Mind:
solentmind.org.uk/work-with-us/volunteer/
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Showcase Training 31
