Staff and customers at our Plymouth garden centre raised over £3,550 during 2019 for local charity Shekinah Mission.

Donations came through a variety of events and initiatives, from the collecting tins at the tills to staff raffles, plus a visit from traditional woodturners who generously donated £350. In addition, the Christmas launch day and festive animation displays featuring a popular group of singing penguins and talking reindeer also attracted plenty of donations from customers. Fundraising was kept on track by our Plymouth Front of House Manager & Events Coordinator, Adele.

Shekinah is a Devon and Cornwall based charity that supports people experiencing homelessness predominately rough sleeping, and anyone experiencing issues with addiction, criminality or mental health issues. The charity treats everyone as individuals, working with them so they can continue their journey which may be back into housing or employment.

Shekinah’s Community, Events and Enterprise Manager Andy Kebby says “The support from all the team at Otter Garden Centre at Plymouth has been amazing; the company has been very generous as they also donated tools and raffle prizes throughout the year which helped us a great deal.”

The money raised will be spent on keeping a 365-day service at the charity’s Drop In Centre on Bath Street.

Andy explains “Anyone accessing our services at the Drop In Centre will get support with benefit and debt advice, housing support and advice, access to health professionals such as GPs, mental health workers and support with addiction or criminality. We also have a team of Navigators who work with a caseload of people to help them back into their own accommodation, which runs a 7 day a week support service.

“We receive very little funding to keep our Drop In open so we rely on the generosity of businesses and members of the public to raise funds or donate money so we can continue to help people who really need it the most.”

In 2020, Otter Garden Centre Plymouth is supporting the RNLI, as chosen by the staff who were keen to support a charity with relevance to the coastal area they live and work in.