Volunteers' Week Spotlight: DWP Employees Roll Up Their Sleeves at Bailey Park in Abergavenny
- Kelly Sullivan
- 17 hours ago
- 2 min read
As part of National Volunteers' Week, we're celebrating the incredible difference volunteers make in communities across Monmouthshire every day.
On Friday 15th May, employees from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) took part in a Corporate Volunteering Day with Friends of Bailey Park in Abergavenny. Between 2pm and 4pm, the team worked alongside local volunteers to help maintain and enhance this much-loved community green space.
The group got stuck into a variety of gardening tasks, including clearing dead leaves, pulling weeds, planting new flowers and shrubs, and relocating established plants to help improve the park's appearance and biodiversity. Their hard work made a visible difference in just a few hours and provided valuable support to the dedicated volunteers who care for Bailey Park throughout the year.
Sue, a volunteer with Friends of Bailey Park, said:
"It went really well and the group leader is going to find out if they can make it a regular event – monthly maybe – as everyone enjoyed it so much. She said they can come on our actual gardening days.
The younger members found it really therapeutic and the three older seasoned gardeners enjoyed tackling someone else's garden for a change!
We divided them into two groups but I think the group that came up to the bowls pavilion with me enjoyed their really hard, backbreaking task a lot more! 😂 It was a pleasure to host them and my bunch up at the pavilion really worked their socks off! I hope the group leader manages to get it made into a permanent fixture once a month now as they were really useful."
The day highlighted the many benefits of volunteering, not only for community organisations but also for those giving their time. Volunteering can improve wellbeing, help people develop new skills, build confidence, create social connections and provide a sense of achievement. Corporate volunteering, in particular, offers employees the opportunity to work together outside of the workplace while making a meaningful contribution to their local area.
Community groups such as Friends of Bailey Park rely on volunteers to help maintain valuable local spaces that residents can enjoy year-round. Whether it's supporting environmental projects, helping at community events, providing companionship, or sharing specialist skills, volunteers play a vital role in strengthening communities and improving quality of life for everyone.
As we celebrate Volunteers' Week, we would like to thank the DWP team and the volunteers at Friends of Bailey Park for their enthusiasm, hard work and commitment to making a positive difference.
Interested in Volunteering?
There are hundreds of volunteering opportunities available across Monmouthshire and the wider region. Whether you can spare a few hours a month or are looking for a regular volunteering role, there are opportunities to suit a wide range of interests, skills and availability.
To find out more about volunteering and discover local opportunities, visit GAVO's volunteering pages:
or, complete this Volunteer Registration Form and a Volunteering Officer will contact you:
Together, volunteers are helping to create stronger, greener and more connected communities!
