Disability home staff put their DIY skills to good use to improve facilities in Banbury

More than 20 members of the team from Hft (originally called Home Farm Trust) used their gardening and DIY skills to bring new life to the facilities at the service’s Ironbridge nursery garden in Banbury last week to celebrate 60 years of the charity.

The staff focused their efforts on the garden which was used extensively during lockdown and means so much to the people who use the service. Flowers grown by people Hft supports in the charity’s nursery garden were also planted on the day.

Teresa Parker, chief commercial housing officer at Hft, said: “We separated into small teams and pairs, with each of us working to our strengths to improve things. One team painted the front door, one potted plants, and another painted pots and involved the people we support. We had a team working on clearing and replacing the gravel in the garden and some old wooden trains were restored too. We painted a bench and the bannisters that needed some work and care.

“The day saw us come together, in the same way, that the people who started Hft 60 years ago came together, to make things better. In their case, they were coming together to create a home in which people with learning disabilities could be supported to take control of their own lives. In our case it was a garden.

“Our work on upgrading the garden may not last 60 years but we really enjoyed team working to make the lives of people we support better, whatever way we can,”

For more information about Hft please visit www.hft.org.uk