Three cheers for Sydenham Garden – recipient of the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service
This news especially welcome as it comes during Volunteer’s Week 2020.
Councillor Chris Best, Deputy Mayor of Lewisham and Cabinet Member for Health and Adult Social Care and Lifelong member of Sydenham Garden, said:
“During these difficult times, it is so welcome that this marvellous group of volunteers who focus on people’s recovery from mental ill-health and other significant illnesses, are being recognised in such an acclaimed way. Volunteers from the community work with the co-workers, who are recovering from mental and physical ill health, in particular dementia, and I am proud to be part of them.”
Kate Lake, one of the volunteers at Sydenham Garden, said:
“I have been volunteering at Sydenham Garden for nearly 5 years. I help on a programme called Growing Lives which helps co-workers who have mental health issues improve their mental and physical health and therefore their sense of well-being and social inclusion. We aim to make everyone feel included, supported and valued through everything we do.
“Volunteers work alongside the co-workers doing all the tasks involved in gardening: sowing, growing and harvesting food and flowers. Growing plants can provide a great sense of purpose and achievement.
“Every session we cook a healthy lunch together, using food we've grown as much as possible, so they can also improve their cooking skills. We offer qualifications in organic gardening skills, helping to make co-workers more employable.”
Kenton Brown, also a volunteer at Sydenham Garden, added:
"I volunteer with the BAME group, running short gardening sessions and using gardening as a tool to support peoples mental health. I feel welcomed at the garden. Feeling welcomed makes me want to help, I have experienced my own mental health difficulties and know where some of the people are coming from. I enjoy doing it because I know the people who come are benefiting like I have. I feel very happy that Sydenham Garden has won the QAVS award. Sydenham Garden has given me hope and a future."
Julia Brandreth, Chair of the Trustees at Sydenham Garden, said,
“I am delighted that our group’s work has been recognised in this way. It is a huge tribute to the hard work and outstanding commitment of our volunteers who make Sydenham Garden a success in so many different ways.
“I am particularly pleased that this award has been received now as it gives me the opportunity to thank my predecessor as chair, Jim Sikorski, who founded Sydenham Garden along with a small group of local residents in 2002. Their vision and dedication turned a neglected nature reserve into the wonderful therapeutic resource we have today.”
Representatives of Sydenham Garden will receive the award from Sir Kenneth Olisa OBE, Lord Lieutenant of Greater London later this summer. Furthermore, two volunteers from Sydenham Garden will attend a garden party at Buckingham Palace in May 2021, along with other recipients of this year’s Award.