Housing developer digs deep with charity donation
Contractors working on a Shropshire housing development have come to the aid of a local charity with hundreds of tonnes of topsoil for its new gardens.
Gardeners at Severn Hospice in Bicton, Shrewsbury have been working for months creating new gardens around its Community Service Centre which opened in late 2020.
Trees, shrubs, bushes, and flowers have been planted in the area along with the creation of a wildflower meadow and a large pond.
But an expected delivery of topsoil failed to materialise, leaving head gardener Joel Richards scratching his head at how to finish his newly landscaped areas.
In a stroke of luck, David Wilson Homes, which is building a large-scale development off Welshpool Road donated topsoil – around 350 tonnes.
“We were very happy to accept their donation,” said Joel. “We had been pondering on how to get so much soil and their offer came along at just the right time.
“Now we can complete the planted areas which will be ready for visitors to our day services and café, as well as those staying on our wards, to enjoy.
“Before I joined the hospice staff team, I was not aware that they offered such wide-ranging treatment. I think people just think about the wards.
“Our gardens bring great comfort to our patients and their families and thanks to David Wilson Homes, we can create a little bit more of a haven for them.”
Severn Hospice’s gardens have won several horticultural awards and attract a wide variety of wildlife, from woodpeckers and squirrels to ducks, partridge, and pheasants. There are woodland walks, shaded areas and even a prairie garden planted with North American grasses and flowering perennials.
The hospice’s day services, Outreach teams and Hospice at Home teams as well as its café all operate from the new building. When designed, architects paid special attention to how it would sit in the landscape and Joel and his team of gardeners have echoed this with their planting schemes.
Dominic Harman, Managing Director at David Wilson Homes Mercia, said: “We are delighted to have been able to work with M V Kelly to facilitate a donation of topsoil to Severn Hospice.
“Severn Hospice is an incredibly important organisation for Shrewsbury and its surrounding communities and offers vital support to its patients and their families in their greatest time of need.”
