STAFF from the Hampshire Chronicle swapped their usual reporting duties for rakes and garden gloves to help out a local good cause.
Editor Kimberley Barber and digital editor Megan Stanley spent the day at Unit 12, a not-for-profit community hub in Winnall, on October 11 as part of their annual volunteering days.
Unit 12 is run from a building in Winnall Valley Road, which is owned by Winchester City Council, and through its many groups and services, it provides excellent learning opportunities for personal and skills development by building links with support services and working alongside professional performing arts organisations.
As well as numerous rooms and studios, the building has a garden which can sometimes get overlooked. However a team of volunteers ensures it's a safe and relaxing place to be by tending to the plants, mowing the lawn and keeping everything tidy.
Kimberley and Megan carried out many duties on their day, including cleaning the patio, sweeping up leaves, moving rubble, preparing an area for a shed to be built and building a composter.
Kimberley said: "It made a nice change for us to get out from behind our desks and spend the day at Unit 12. We were lucky with the weather and made the most of one of the last nice days of the year to tidy and prepare the garden for winter. While we were there we saw some of the services, such as the food bank and dance classes, that all play such an important role in making Winchester such a lovely place to live."
Lara Tarrant, Unit 12 centre manager, said: "I’d like to say a special thankyou to the team at Hampshire Chronicle who kindly spent the day with a couple of regular volunteers in our outside space. They washed windows, swept paths even moved some rubble.
"Unit12 a not for profit organisation relies heavily on volunteers to do a host of roles within the building from helping in the community pantry and garden to assisting with bigger jobs such as painting communal areas. We are super grateful to all volunteers who give up their time to help us, as it makes such a difference to our Unit and allows us to be a public space that’s inviting to all our users and continue our work within the community. Thankyou to team Chronicle."
Newsquest, the owner of the Hampshire Chronicle, allows all its staff to spend one day volunteering in the community at good causes and charities. Last month reporter Christopher Atkinson and head of news Andrew Napier also spent time at Unit 12, gardening until it rained and then cleaning inside, and reporters Seb Haw and Toby Oliver spent a day at the centre the month before.
Last year the Hampshire Chronicle team volunteered as marshals at the annual Round Table Fireworks Night in Winchester and the year before they all spent a day at the city's homeless charity, the Beacon.
Unit 12 is always welcoming of volunteers, if you would like to help, email admin@unit-12.com or call 07547932511.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here