A TEAM of volunteers from a Glasnevin based construction firm have helped transform a community garden at St Michael’s House residential care home on St Canice’s Road.
The 20 volunteers from Flynn Management & Contractors Ltd completely renovated the garden over the summer and their work was officially unveiled earlier this month.
The work was carried out as part of St Michael’s House Corporate Volunteer Programme and the volunteers from Flynn’s revamped the ‘Seomra’ garden to support the seven adult residents at the Glasnevin unit.
The volunteers cleared weeds in the garden, planted flowers and plants, painted the main gates and wheelchair access routes, helped to build an extra room outside and took time out to spend time and play activities with the service users from the house.
The total value of the new garden project is €100,000 and it will provide a base for new art classes for service-users to enjoy.
This includes resident Siobhean Varszegi, who along with her three other siblings, John, Rita and Linda, are all in full time care in St Michael’s House, across different residential units.
Each week, the siblings meet at the St Canices Road unit for an art class and to enjoy each other’s company.
CEO of St Michael’s House, Anna Shakespeare, said everybody is delighted with the final result of all the hard work carried out by the volunteers.
“I would like to sincerely thank the Flynn management staff, clients, sponsors and supporters for all their efforts,” she added.
“I am delighted and amazed at the amount of work completed by the volunteers and I would like to thank all of them for taking part in St Michael’s House Corporate Volunteering Program.
“The garden can now be used and enjoyed by the ladies who live here, their friends and their families. All the corporate support is really appreciated and makes a huge difference.’’
Flynn Management & Contractors Project Manager, Gerry McGuire, said he was “very grateful” to the employees for giving of their time, working hard and making the unit a more beautiful place for the service users to enjoy.
“During the course of our operations, the company has always integrated the importance of charity and giving back, into our culture,” he added.
“Each year, Flynn Management & Contractors looks to identify causes where we can make a difference and we will continue to do this going forward.
“We also try to get the whole company involved so that this approach is engrained in our identity. The project for St Michael’s House provides the perfect opportunity and a wonderful initiative to get our team involved in a very worthy project that will make a real difference!
“It is a win-win situation, as our staff really get to develop their team building skills while producing work which will greatly benefit St Michael’s House and its service users. The results are tremendous!”
