Give and Gain Day proves to be another huge success

More than 40 First Choice Homes employees got stuck into the annual 'Give and Gain Day' on Holts estate.

FCHO staff worked on various projects around the Holts area for Give and Gain Day, a national annual event where organisations put in plenty of hard graft, with the aim of giving a little back to their local communities.

Residents, local children and the First Choice Homes team took part in a litter pick across Holts.

There were skips provided for residents to dispose of garden waste and a brand new community herb garden was planted so that residents can tend to and use the herbs grown there.

Work also took place to create a new community garden in an area of land that had previously been used by fly-tippers.

Local children were invited to show off their artistic skills by painting their best flowers, trees and bees on the fence, creating a bright garden mural.

Lucy is pictured (below) after painting a wall.

They also made a bug hotel for the garden as well as designing bird boxes and planting hanging baskets to take home for their own gardens.

First Choice Homes’ Volunteer Co-Ordinator Naomi Martin-Smith was down at Birch Hall Close, putting in some hard graft alongside company CEO Vinny Roche as they joined a group working on the new wildlife garden.

Naomi told the Chronicle: “Every year we put on this special Give and Gain Day event.

“It’s about colleagues coming together, collaborating and just doing something good for the community.

“It’s about up-skilling people and understanding the community.

“If some people work outside the borough it’s good way to get them out there.

“We’ve all come together as a team and we’re doing things we wouldn’t normally do.

“It brings people together from all sides of First Choice homes.

“This particular place was fly-tip land until a few weeks ago – you just couldn’t get in for sofas and general mess.

“We’ve had procurement companies get involved and they’ve been amazing.

“There’s landscaping been done, there’s a pathway now, and lots of timber and woodchip supplied.

“It’s all been donations, so as an organisation, it’s been about making an impact here. It’s bringing the community together.”

First Choice Homes worked with a number of partner agencies throughout the day.

They included Emanuel Whittaker, Seddon, Casey, Get Oldham Working, Limb to Limb and Mitie.

Partners provided supplies and volunteers on the day to help bring the projects together.