2023-05-01T09:25:25+00:00

Volunteer spotlight: meet Anne Beveridge

One new year, Anne Beveridge made a resolution that she was going to do some voluntary work.

Seventeen years later, she is still helping out in the Roxburghe House gardens.

She started not long after the facility moved from Tor na Dee.

“I just keep coming back,” she said. “It’s doing good for others and it’s good for your mental health.”

The 54-year-old mother of two originally experimented with a role in another organisation but realised that the emotional interactions were not for her.

“I like the outdoors role and it suits me much better,” said Anne.

“It is so fulfilling, it gives me a warm glow and it fills your heart. Sometimes the patients come out and enjoy the sunshine with their visitors, and they are so grateful.

“It’s also important for the staff to have an outdoor space that can help them as a place to take a break.

“The gardening team doesn’t work between November and March but apart from that, we do come out in most weathers.”

In her spare time, Anne runs marathons. She says that running clears the mind, and gardening is like that in a lot of ways too.

“I enjoy the atmosphere here, it’s so tranquil and you’d never know you’re right in the city centre.

“Another plus is that I like the people I volunteer with – it’s the same main gang, all of whom have been here for years. Two of them are in their 80s but they’re still going strong. We do spend a fair time blethering.”

She reflects that things have moved on in her time here.

“We used to be short of storage space so we had to bring our tools with us every time we came.

“I mean, I was okay as I had a lift but my volunteering chum then had to take her tools with her on the bus.”

Find out more about becoming a volunteer at Roxburghe House.

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