Green Fingered Team from Northgate Tend to Children's Hospice Garden
12 July 2009
A team from Northgate Managed Services swapped office life to tend to the garden at NI Children\\\'s Hospice, Newtownabbey.
The fifteen volunteers from Northgate visited the Hospice over two days as part of Business in the Community's Cares Challenge, a campaign that encourages employees volunterring in the local community. To encourage participation in community challenges Northgate offers each of its 500 employees in Northern Ireland a community link day.
Leaving the technical world of ICT behind and getting back to nature, the Northgate team were on hand for duties vital to the upkeep of any garden including weeding, path clearing and hedge clipping.
Commenting on the campaign, Eleanor Lee, Head of Marketing, Northgate Managed Services said, "The team from Northgate were delighted to take on the Cares Challenge. It was a hands-on task and they weren't afraid to roll their sleeves up and get their hands dirty."
"In signing up to Business in the Community's Cares Challenges, the Northgate team area able to give something back to the local community, benefiting organisations and groups who themselves make such a difference. The Hospice challenge is the third project that we have been involved in this year and is part of the organisation's ongoing CSR strategy."
Stefani Butler, regional fundraiser, NI Children's Hospice praised the team's efforts, "On behalf of Children's Hospice I would like to extend a huge thank you to the Northgate volunteers. They put so much effort in over the two days and really must be commended for all their hard work. The garden is a very special place at Children's Hospice and is used not only by our children but the entire family. It gives our families the opportunity to be in a comfortable and safe environment with their life-limited child along wiht the help from our specialist nursing team.
Stefani continued, "The garden is paramount to Hospice ethos as it gives that 'Home from Home' experience and we are thrilled with what Northgate have achieved. Well done."
