GREEN FINGERS FOR MARTIN HOUSE

Six HARIBO colleagues spent a sunny morning rolling up their sleeves and getting their paintbrushes out to help refresh the look of some of the gates and fences around the beautiful gardens at Martin House.

Julia Curry, Charity Lead, was joined by Kim Jacks, Ella McParland, Jessica Davis, Brendan Firth, and Sasha Williams. The upkeep of their grounds (overseen by their Maintenance Team and Gardeners) relies on volunteers to assist with non-essential work and touch-ups; tasks that cannot always be completed with capacity constraints. Our colleagues were therefore keen to step in and provide some much-appreciated support.

Set in the stunning backdrop of Boston Spa, the Martin House gardens serve a range of purposes; children can play in the outdoor spaces which includes a water play area and a wheelchair adapted swing and roundabout, or families can relax in a tranquil environment.

Julia Curry said: "it was an extremely rewarding morning, and it was great to know that we were making a physical impact."

Ella McParland said: "It was wonderful to spend some time at the hospice - there is a really peaceful and positive atmosphere which really reinforced the great impact we can make."

After the volunteering, our team learnt more from Martin House about the impact they make and the work they do.  At HARIBO, we have been proud to support Martin House Children's Hospice for 15 years. They provide​ palliative care to children and young people in North, East and West Yorkshire, who face life limiting
illnesses. Their 24-hour specialist support ensures that parents and families are looked after during the challenges they face daily, as well as beyond.

Other services include planned respite care, symptom control and specialist care plans, as well as end of life care and bereavement support.

Kim Jacks said: "learning more about Martin House and seeing the hospice first-hand was a really positive reminder of how important HARIBO's involvement and fundraising is."