Buxton hotel staff get hands on with charity garden

Staff from Premier Inn - which opened on London Road last week - rolled up their sleeves to support Voluntary and Community Services Peaks and Dales (VCSPD).

The charity is aiming to establish a new allotment offering vulnerable people in the community volunteering opportunities and, it is hoped, eventually paid employment.

VCSPD development manager Debbie Hackett said: “The help we have had from Premier Inn has helped us get the site ready far faster than we could have done ourselves and has given us a real boost. We can’t thank them enough.”

Housekeepers, reception staff, handymen and night porters helped with breaking ground on the project - digging over soil, pruning hedges and clearing waste, led by hotel manager Robert Sparks.

The next stage for the allotment project is to re-glaze an existing greenhouse to make it safer.

The charity is also in need of gardening tools, which must be in good working order.

If any other companies would like to help with the project, by offering equipment, providing polycarbonate glazing or would like to discuss corporate volunteering for staff teams, contact Debbie by emailing [email protected], or telephone 01298 23970.

VCSPD offers advice and support to volunteers and organisations wishing to work with volunteers.

It also provides direct services such as transport schemes for elderly and disabled people, befriending, home support and Readycall/Handy Van services.

It has offices in Ashbourne and Buxton and its remit covers the whole of the Peaks and Dales area. For more information, visit www.vcspd.org.

The new-build Premier Inn opened last week, with expectations that it will bring an extra 20,000 visitors to Buxton every year.