Member Article

Yorkshire estate agency helps hospice families become jungle VIPs

GREEN-fingered staff from a Yorkshire estate agency have swopped the office for a jungle to develop an adventure garden for children and young people with life-limiting illnesses. Eleven colleagues from Linley & Simpson, which has a network of 16 offices across North and West Yorkshire, rolled up their sleeves for a day of volunteering at Martin House Hospice at Boston Spa. They were joined by friend and supplier Nick Palmer, of North Yorkshire-based environmental specialists AgriPest, who snapped into action and created an 18-foot crocodile to take pride of place in the makeover. After creating a jungle adventure garden in the hospice grounds last year, they returned this week to extend it ahead of summer. It is the third year in succession that volunteers from Linley & Simpson have helped transform the outdoor areas of the hospice, which is its chosen long-term charity partner. Two years ago they helped to create a wildlife garden to provide a tranquil escape for the children being cared for there, and their family and friends. The result was a thriving habitat for declining species, such as butterflies, bees and hedgehogs, in a quiet area of spare land. Customer Services Manager Emily Wilkinson, who coordinates Linley & Simpson’s programme of community support, said: “The jungle garden has proved very popular since we brought it to life last year. “So we jumped at the chance to have the opportunity to make it even bigger and better for the children and young people to enjoy. “Since we began supporting our friends at Martin House, we have handed over £70,000 - but we also like to give our time through different volunteering projects like this.
“The amazing work of everyone at Martin House inspires us all to help in whatever ways we can. “We would also like to thank all those residents local to Wetherby who made donations of plants and ornaments for the project which really caught the imagination of the community as well.”

In addition to Emily, the Linley & Simpson jungle team this year included founding directors Will Linley and Nick Simpson, plus Luke Gibson, Luvena Parkinson, Joe Gilman, Adam Lowman, Mark Sheridan, Greg Smallwood, Amanda May and Paula Ingham.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by richard chew .