The communal garden at the Gateway has reopened following a refurbishment

The communal garden at the Gateway has been refurbished and re-opened after two years of restricted access.

A BBQ and social event took place to mark the reopening and it was attended by customers and colleagues involved with the refurbishment.

We worked with construction company Seddon to refurbish the garden and works included repainting fences, planting shrubbery and repainting garden furniture. Seddon funded the works as part of its 125th birthday celebration.

Customers have also set up a gardening group taking it in turns to ensure the plants are watered and the garden is maintained.

Housing Support Manager at the Gateway Gail Cooper said: “The garden is already becoming a social hub for residents. Because of their involvement with the refurb, they have taken extra pride in ensuring it’s maintained and looked after. It makes a huge difference to the accommodation, adding a refreshed atmosphere.

“Communal spaces are vital to delivering a safe and inclusive environment to our residents. covid was challenging for everyone, particularly those vulnerable with poor mental and physical health. The loss of this outdoor space meant residents were often left feeling isolated and cooped up inside, so to have it refurbished and reopened is huge boost for Gateway residents.”

The garden was closed in 2020 due to safety regulations as a result of the covid pandemic and remained closed until recently.

Seddon sourced materials and provided people from its painting division to work alongside other Seddon, Citizen and Gateway staff, as well as residents to bring the garden to fruition.

Business Unit Director at Seddon Rob Moore said: “It’s been great to see this project progress. We care greatly about creating places that add value to the communities that they serve and the garden at the Gateway is a great example of this. Our teams enjoyed working alongside the residents and hearing their stories.

“Completing a refurb is always rewarding but getting to know the end users and helping to make it a home for them makes it even more worthwhile.”

For media enquiries contact our Communications Team.