Volunteers’ Week (1–7 June): Thank you, Ford Park volunteers
- Suzanne Edgley
- 2 days ago
- 2 min read
Volunteers are the heart of everything we do here at Ford Park. The park doesn’t look after itself; the gardens don’t tend themselves and events don’t just magically pop up. It all happens because our volunteers show up, week in and week out, with sleeves rolled up and a real love for the park and our community.
Volunteering doesn’t just benefit the park. It benefits our community, and it benefits the volunteers too. It’s about being outdoors and feeling useful, keeping fit and active, the social side of being part of a team, learning new skills and being part of something that’s genuinely valued by the people of Ulverston.
You can feel that pride in the work that gets done, and you can definitely hear it at tea break in the Garden Room, over a brew and a slice (or two) of cake.
And what our volunteers achieve is incredible.
Yes, they do the day-to-day jobs that keep Ford Park open and welcoming; tending paths and gardens, planting, weeding, repairing, emptying bins etc but they also help bring bigger projects to life too. From the zig zag path to natural play areas, to developing the Woodland Walk and introducing the Woodland Animal Trail, their hard work is woven into the park in so many ways.
They also make sure families can enjoy Ford Park without it costing the earth, creating activities and trails in the garden to keep children entertained with free and low-cost things to do. And when it comes to events, they’re the ones who turn up early to put up gazebos, move tables, direct traffic and visitors, and then come back at the end to pack it all away again.
At Christmas, you might even spot a few dressed as Santa’s helpers, and we can confirm there are one or two naughty elves in the mix.
So, this Volunteers’ Week, we just want to say a huge, heartfelt thank you. We couldn’t do it without you.
If you’d like to show our volunteers a bit of love too, a small donation towards our tea break fund would be very much appreciated. It helps us look after the people who look after Ford Park.
