The Lord Mayor of Westminster highlighted the importance of employee volunteering on 25 September 2024 by joining Bridgepoint staff at Leonora House to help transform the garden of the supported living residence.
Lord Mayor of Westminster joins Leonora House staff and Bridgepoint volunteers for the painting activity.
The Right Worshipful The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Robert Rigby, was attending to thank staff and volunteers for their contributions. He also joined in painting fences and garden borders and spent time with residents to talk about their experiences.
The team of seven Bridgepoint volunteers, based at 5 Marble Arch Place, donated paint and materials as well as their enthusiasm and hard work to the project. Bridgepoint also kindly donated a number of colourful winter bedding plants that will be used as a seated gardening activity for residents that would like to put their green fingered skills into action.
The Lord Mayor’s brush with employee volunteering.
Leonora House is a supported housing scheme for older people and those living with disabilities. Resident are encouraged to live as independently as possible, while Leonora House provides care and support that is tailored to each person’s individual needs.
The residents were consulted on what improvements they would like to see in the garden as part of the project and their ideas, including butterfly designs, became part of the project.
The garden and grounds are used regularly to run activities that encourage social interaction, promotes well-being and provides opportunities to be active or learn new skills, including mocktail classes and BBQs.
The Lord Mayor expressed an interest in visiting care homes and assisted accommodation in Westminster during his term in order to thank staff and volunteers, and meet residents. The Lord Mayor was accompanied on his visit by Little Venice Ward Councillors, Cllr Melvyn Caplan and Cllr Sara Hassan, and City of Westminster’s Older Persons Champion, Cllr Judith Southern.
Cllr Lorraine Dean was instrumental in highlighting Leonora House as a local project that could benefit from our Community Programme, and we are grateful to her for facilitating introductions over the summer.
As well as painting, the Lord Major and councillors joined the residents for a sing-along to one of their favourite tunes, Summer Holiday by Cliff Richard. This proved a good omen as, despite the impending rain clouds outside, the day managed to stay mostly dry!
A tour of the facilities, including to one of its 21 one-bedroom flats, each of which features en-suite facilities and its own kitchen and living area, and provides residents with their independence.
All areas were painted.
Challenge complete! The Bridgepoint volunteering team.
Local businesses play a vital role in helping local communities. Thank you to all the employee volunteers from Bridgepoint who gave their time to create a welcoming outdoor space for older residents and those with disabilities, and I was delighted to lend a hand showing off my painting skills!
The garden painting activity at Leonora House will make a big difference to its residents in helping to improve well-being and reduce isolation.
The role of Marble Arch BID in facilitating these activities helps create stronger connections between businesses and the local community for the benefit of everyone.The Right Worshipful The Lord Mayor of Westminster, Cllr Robert Rigby
The activity was part of Marble Arch BID’s Community Programme which supports its business members to engage in employee volunteering to address a diverse range of community need. We provide solutions to our members’ CSR/ESG commitments by sourcing, brokering and facilitating meaningful local volunteering opportunities.
Leonora House is one of a number of our new community partnerships which also include food banks, homeless projects, disability organisations, and projects with schools that mentor and inspire confidence and the career choices of young people.
From team challenges to skill-sharing and mentoring, there is something to suit every community engagement plan that creates memorable moments and sustainable impact.
If you are a Marble Arch BID member and would like to find out more about the wide range of employee volunteering opportunities, please contact community@marble-arch.london
