To mark Volunteers’ Week, actors Michelle de Swarte (The Duchess, Spent) and Kerry Godliman (After Life, Trigger Point) spent a day volunteering with leading homelessness charity St Mungo’s at the organisation’s gardening project Putting Down Roots.
For over 20 years, Putting Down Roots has helped people recovering from homelessness to grow their confidence and skills, and to rebuild their lives through gardening.
More people than ever are sleeping rough on the streets or faced with the harsh reality of losing their home, and our volunteers are vital in helping to combat this worsening crisis.
The pair worked alongside clients and staff to plant out a naturalistic flower border at the charity’s permanent London site.
As well as learning some new gardening skills, both found out more about the benefits of volunteering for St Mungo’s – and thanked the 450 volunteers who spared their time, talent, and skills for the leading homelessness charity last year.
“Volunteers are a huge part of the work that St Mungo’s does, helping people recover from homelessness and rebuild their lives,” explains Michelle de Swarte.
“It is also a two-way street. Volunteering is good for your mental health, gives you a sense of purpose, and it also gives you a sense of community.”
Michelle helped to plant out flowers that clients, staff and volunteers have grown from seed over spring.
“I actually lived in homeless accommodation, not even five minutes’ walk from here, as a teenager,” she says. “My family members have lived in temporary accommodation all around here.”
From Outreach teams who find and support people who are rough sleeping, to specialist support for clients as they move into independent accommodation, St Mungo’s is there for those experiencing homelessness every step of the way.
“I don’t have a garden, and I’ve never gardened, but I have destroyed a fair amount of houseplants – and so it has been a really joyful day,” Michelle continues. “I’ve been schooled with some basic lessons. The most important thing I’ve learned? Clean up your workstation. You can’t just plant up pots and walk away. You have to tidy up!”
“St Mungo’s is a fabulous organisation,” says Kerry Godliman. “Above all I find the nurturing, community element of St Mungo’s really lovely. It’s very powerful in a world which can often be all about short, immediate fixes.”
“I’ve had a really lovely time today putting in some plants, and chatting, and seeing all of the amazing gardening that’s going on down here, and meeting all of the people that do brilliant work at St Mungo’s”
People can get involved in a range of volunteering opportunities at St Mungo’s: from supporting Outreach teams to find and people who are sleeping rough on the streets and help them move into emergency accommodation, to drawing on language skills as a translator, or sharing expertise by teaching art, music or cookery classes in our accommodation services.
“As an organisation, we work with people experiencing homelessness who have often been let down multiple times and are at a difficult point in their lives” explains Iver Morgan, Head of Volunteering, Apprenticeships, Involvement and Placements at St Mungo’s.
“We would not be able to do what we do at St Mungo’s without the incredible dedication of our volunteers. The way they show up consistently, build up trust, and engage with the people we support is wonderful to see.”
“Volunteers really do help us to rebuild lives.”
To learn more about volunteering for St Mungo’s, and view available opportunities to get involved, visit the volunteering area of St Mungo’s website.
