Everything is rosy in the garden now
Volunteers devote time to Glentanar Court
Everything in the garden is rosy for a bunch of over-50 housing association residents thanks to greenfingered shopping centre volunteers.
Staff from intu Braehead are transforming the garden at Glentanar Court, in Paisley’s Seedhill Road, into a more userfriendly space for older people.
The Braehead staff are giving up their time to carry out the work, which has received funding from their company and will see raised flower beds and a tool shed installed.
Richard Diven, 67, secretary of Glentanar Court Social Group, said everyone is delighted by the generous gesture of the workers.
He explained: “We found out that Braehead had this fund they use for local communities.
“And they agreed to fund us after we had a meeting with them.
“All the old garden furniture will go, they’ll replace that.
“There will be plans and a garden hut for tools and we’ll be getting new tools as well.
“The volunteers are doing all of this.”
Sarah Findlay, manager at Glentanar Court, said the new-look garden will allow more residents to enjoy it to the full.
She said: “If you look at it it’s not necessarily a garden that’s that user-friendly for people reliant on wheelchairs, or with mobility issues or health issues and who might not be able to bend right down to ground level to be able to weed.
“These raised beds are going to be fantastic because that means anyone with a disability scooter or a physical ailment is going to be able to take part in gardening.”
Jean Finnigan, 68, is thrilled at the prospect of a new garden with raised beds.
She told us: “I used to garden before I came in here. And I was looking for a place where I could still keep that up.
“But if I do bend down I’m sore for a couple of days afterwards.”
Lydia Brown, who is community development manager at Braehead, said the work at Glentanar Court is one of a number of projects carried out by staff at the shopping centre every year.
“We’ve done a lot of work in schools, we’ve done a lot of work in housing associations like this, hospices, Ronald McDonald House – you name it – we’ve done it, basic gardening and general maintenance work that people would otherwise struggle to do themselves.”
Mr Diven said everyone at Glentanar Court was very grateful for the work.
“All this in years to come will make Glentanar Court an even better and more attractive environment,” he said.