Volunteers dig deep to spruce up North Walsham community garden

Residents at Glebe Court in North Walsham have a new garden in which to relax – thanks to the hard work of a group of volunteers from Victory Housing Trust.

Around a dozen members of the housing association's staff volunteered up to three days of their time to transform an unattractive patch of concrete and gravel into a communal garden, complete with patio, lawned area and wildlife garden, as part of the Trust's Victory Makeover Challenge.

Victory residents were invited to nominate projects for staff volunteers to take on, and the Glebe Court garden project was one of the nominations chosen to be tackled.

Around a dozen staff spent up to three days clearing, digging and planting to create the garden, which will be open for the use of local residents.

Victory staff volunteers were joined by experts whose time was donated by MJ Prestige Property Developments, while materials were donated for the project by Dove Jeffery Homes, Wellington Construction, SM Building Supplies, Longwater Construction Supplies, Homebase Cromer and Dulux.

Barney Lee, one of the Victory team getting stuck into the hard physical labour, said: 'It has been hard work, but great fun, especially knowing that the result will be a great amenity for our residents.

'Most of us are office-based, so I think some of us will be feeling muscles we didn't know we had, but it will be worth it to have created something special.'

The Victory Makeover Challenge was launched earlier this year when residents were invited to nominate community projects for staff volunteers to undertake.

The first project saw redecoration and garden improvements at a sheltered scheme at Huntley Crescent in Sheringham completed in July.

Victory Housing Trust allows staff to take up to three days a year off to undertake community projects, and the Challenge aims to match this resource against projects which will make a difference in the community.