The Portman Estate helped create a well-maintained and accessible outdoor space to support the physical and mental wellbeing of older residents in the local area.

On 17 July 2025, The Portman Estate team, recently relocated to new offices at One Great Cumberland Place, rolled up their sleeves and got to work at Penfold Community Hub, located in the heart of Church Street ward. Penfold Community Hub, which operates within a local care home, offers a range of activities for people over 50, many of whom are living with dementia or physical disabilities.

The area of hard compressed soil was given a new lease of life by volunteers.

A team of five volunteers from The Portman Estate began the day by transforming a dry, compacted patch of soil into a nutrient-rich bed ready for planting. They removed overgrown vegetation and weeds, dug through the soil with spades and trowels, and finished by adding fresh topsoil, generously provided by The Portman Estate. The enriched soil will allow the hub to grow herbs, fruits, and vegetables, which can be used in nutritious meals for residents and during community engagement events.

Volunteers then turned their attention to the garden shed. By reorganising the space, they helped maximise storage by sorting and rearranging items such as tarpaulins, garden canes, and tools. Broken or unusable objects were removed, creating a safer and more functional area for future use.

Volunteers turn the soil at the Penfold Community Hub.

Volunteers cleared out the garden shed, reordering items such as garden canes.

A huge thank you to the team from The Portman Estate for providing their time and the gardening materials for the volunteering session.

The activity was arranged as part of our Community Programme which supports our business members to engage in the community. From environmental projects to skill-sharing to coffee mornings, 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 community engagement and employee volunteering opportunities, please contact Phil at community@marble-arch.london.

Team challenge complete! The volunteer team from The Portman Estate.