Dodd Group volunteers transform Abbeyfield gardens

Marking 70 years with garden makeovers

There’s something special about a garden. It can be a place to catch up with friends, spend time with family, enjoy a spot of gardening or sit outside with a cup of tea and enjoy some fresh air.

For residents at two Abbeyfield sheltered housing schemes in the North West, those moments are now even more enjoyable thanks to a team of volunteers from Dodd Group. As part of their commitment to creating social value in local communities, colleagues from the specialist M&E and property services firm spent a day giving the garden at Milverton Lodge in Formby a makeover, before heading to Norbreck House in Blackpool to deliver further outdoor improvements. Dodd Group already provides maintenance and engineering services at several of our properties across North and Central England.

The project comes during a particularly special year for us, as we celebrate our 70th anniversary. For seven decades, Abbeyfield has been supporting older people to live happy, independent lives in welcoming communities. Creating spaces where residents can spend time together, pursue their interests and enjoy the outdoors is an important part of that work.

Creating a garden designed around residents

Before beginning work at Milverton Lodge, the Dodd Group team took the time to speak to our residents and find out what would make the garden more enjoyable and accessible for them.

Operations Director Simon Lewis, Regional Manager Richard Lacey and Mechanical Supervisor Lawrence Welsh then got to work, building and installing three new outdoor benches.

The benches were specially designed to be half an inch higher than standard benches, making them easier for our residents to use comfortably.

The team also installed three large, weatherproof planters, filling them with compost and a variety of plants to bring more colour and life to the garden.

The improvements have already proved popular, giving our residents a lovely new place to enjoy activities and events, spend time with friends and family, or simply sit outside and relax.

For Milverton Lodge resident Debby, who is a keen gardener, the new planters are particularly welcome. She was looking forward to having “a nice new planter to keep me busy.”

We love seeing our residents make the most of their outdoor spaces and these improvements will help ensure the garden remains a place to enjoy for years to come.

Bringing a little more colour to Norbreck House

The project continued at Norbreck House in Blackpool, where Richard and Lawrence delivered two hanging baskets, windowsill planters and a new patio table for residents, staff and visitors to enjoy.

These may seem like small additions, but they can make a big difference to how our shared spaces feel and, importantly, give residents more opportunities to spend time outdoors and connect with others.

The work is a great example of how our partnerships can create meaningful social value for the people who live in our homes.

Richard said, “Many of the social value activities we engage in not only add value to the communities we work with, but are also a nice thing to do to make a meaningful difference.

“Our day at Milverton Lodge and visit to Norbreck House was a great way to continue our tradition of giving back. The values at the heart of Abbeyfield’s work also align strongly with our own.

“It was especially good to be able to support Abbeyfield during its 70th anniversary year. We are proud to have contributed in a way that will have a lasting positive impact on residents, and it was a pleasure to meet them afterwards for a cup of tea and a chat.”

A lasting difference

For the teams involved, the day was about more than planting flowers and installing benches. It was an opportunity to spend time with residents, listen to what matters to them and make a practical difference to the places they call home.

For our Sheltered Housing Manager Linda Mitchell, who oversees both Milverton Lodge and Norbreck House, seeing the residents enjoy the improvements has made the project particularly rewarding.

She said, “The residents are delighted with the new additions to their gardens. We hope to make the most of the remaining good weather and enjoy the outdoor spaces wherever we can, and I am confident that the gardens will be a highlight of the houses for years to come.

“Our sincere thanks go to Richard and his colleagues for taking the time to make such a meaningful difference to our homes. We look forward to continuing to work with Dodd Group through the vital services they provide to support our day-to-day operations – and hopefully welcoming them back to see our residents again soon.”

For Dodd Group, the project is another example of its ongoing commitment to giving back to the communities it works in.

We’re incredibly grateful to Dodd Group for the time, effort and thought they put into these improvements.

As we celebrate 70 years of Abbeyfield, it’s partnerships like this that help us continue creating welcoming communities where older people can feel at home, stay connected and enjoy living independently.

And for the residents of Milverton Lodge and Norbreck House, it means brighter, more welcoming outdoor spaces to enjoy together – with plenty of opportunities for gardening, socialising and, of course, a cup of tea in the sunshine.

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