Natta announce Woking & Sam Beare Hospices as nominated charity for 2020

Natta is delighted to announce that we have officially added Woking & Sam Beare Hospices as one of our national nominated Charities.

Our fundraising journey started with Woking & Sam Beare Hospices (WSBH) in 2018 when we took part in their Dragon Boat Races event. Over the past two years, Natta has been working with and raising money for WSBH in a variety of fun team-based challenges. 2019 was the second year that Natta had participated in their annual Dragon Boat Race, taking home gold and raising more than £4,000 for the Hospice.

Following this, Natta wanted to learn more about this fantastic charity. Natta’s MD visited the Hospice which initiated a new opportunity for us to get further involved.

Wildwood Garden

After meeting with the Hospice Fundraising Director we agreed to undertake the groundworks and hard landscaping to develop a once derelict unused bit of land at the back of the Hospice into a new ‘Wildlife Garden’.  In July, we sent a team to the Hospice to embark on the project. Natta donated all of manpower, machinery and material as well as our expertise. We excavated and cleared the old space, prepared the ground and constructed all of the hard landscaping areas.

This new garden named, Wildwood Garden, is located in a central square between the accommodation of those receiving treatment. As the Hospice exists to offer palliative care for people with advanced terminal illnesses it was important to create a beautiful space that patients can look out on whilst receiving treatment. We also wanted to help to provide a wheelchair accessible space where patients, as well as their families, friends and the Hospice staff, can have a haven away from the day to day of the Hospice environment when they are undoubtedly going through the most difficult of times.

The project took 4 weeks to complete and we came in on our budget of £15,000 and on time.

As well as the labour and plant we donated 200m² of block paving to create the beautifully curved pathway. We also constructed a granite wall to hold the water feature. Other materials that we donated and utilised for the development include:  granite edgings for the pathway, recycled aggregates, surfacing materials, concrete accessories, skip hire and muck away and general building and landscaping materials.

Phil Wormley, Head of Fundraising for the Hospice, said: “On behalf of the hospice and the patients that will benefit from having an enhanced environment because of what is going to be a beautiful space and where wildlife can thrive, I would like to extend a huge thank you to the team from Natta and to Valerie for sharing her vision that has moved this project forward.”

We didn’t end our journey there. After we completed the groundworks, our Contracts Manager in charge of the project, Paul Magennis, returned in September on ‘planting day’ to visit the volunteers and Hospice workers and to see the completed garden. Paul commented: “I was only too glad to be associated with the Hospice project.  My heart goes out to all the nurses and carers who form attachments to patients whose stay can only be a short one. Very proud to be a small part of helping.”

Then, in October, nine employees from Natta took part in supporting Woking & Sam Beare Hospices by completing a thrilling firewalk. Led by our MD, John, this was a great team-building event for us to get involved in whilst raising funds for a fantastic cause.

Woking & Sam Beare Hospices Breakfast Meeting

Last Friday, our MD, John Whelan and Head of Marketing, Jo Whelan were invited to speak at WSBH quarterly breakfast meeting. They took the opportunity to give a talk to patients and sponsors about the garden, our fundraising efforts for the Hospice and to also announce the formal appointment of the charity as one of the Natta Group’s local nominated charities. It was a thoroughly enjoyable morning, Jo Whelan, commented: “John and I were honoured to be invited as guest speakers. It gave us the opportunity to tell other local businesses and supporters the story of our journey and on-going commitment to help the Hospice. Thank you so much for having us. We are looking forward to working with you next year and continuing our support.”

John Whelan commented: “This is a fantastic place, doing such amazing work. We are going to come back in the spring to transform another space into an outside seating area for their nurses.”

Adding Woking & Sam Beare Hospices to the list of charities that we support is a commitment that Natta will raise over £10,000 for the charity next year. As a company, our corporate responsibility is one of the pillars that we are founded on. It is important for us to help and give back to those in need.

About Woking Sam & Beare Hospices 

This Hospice exists to offer and promote the highest quality care possible for people with advanced terminal illnesses. They also provide help and support to their families and other individuals important to their care.

Each year they care for around 2,000 patients. Over 70% of their care is delivered across Surrey in the community. This works out as being 8,760 hours of care every single year.