Matrix Trust Volunteers In Action All Weekend Making A Difference

Published on: 6 May, 2013
Updated on: 7 May, 2013

Around 250 people of all ages have been out and about over the bank holiday weekend volunteering their services tidying up people’s gardens and getting stuck into improvement projects.

Matrix Trust volunteers wearing white T-shirts, from left: Sarah, Michelle, Johnnie and chairman Ian Nicholson; with community safety warden Tracy James and resident Alastair Montgomerie.

Organised by the Matrix Trust, a Guildford-based Christian charity committed to transforming communities, this is the 13th year of its Ready 4 Action weekend.

Once again the the volunteers focused on projects in the north Guildford area including Bellfields and Westborough, with their base camp for the weekend at St Peter’s Shared Church in Bellfields.

On bank holiday Monday the Matrix Trust’s chairman, Ian Nicholson, was out working with a group of young people tidying up gardens in Foxburrows Avenue, Westborough.

He explained that the project involved local churches working together in partnership with youth workers, schools and Guildford Borough Council.

As well as plenty of young people aged 12 to 18, many adults also offered their services for free, as did a number of trades people.

The work they undertook, that included helping to clear and tidy up residents’ gardens, cutting back vegetation and removing litter from several public open spaces and some interior decorating, came about through referrals from local churches, the council’s community safety wardens and personal recommendations.

Ian said: “Overall it has been a very rewarding and in some cases a moving experience – for both those doing the work and those on the receiving end.

Westborough resident Alastair Montgomerie was pleased with the work a group of young people did tidying up his garden. He said: “It’s absolutely brilliant. I know a lot of negative things are said about young people in general. But these prove there are many good things youngsters do. I’m amazed.”

Tracy Cox, who also lives in Westborough, moved into her council home earlier this year. The garden was very much neglected and overgrown and difficult for her to tackle on her own. Her garden was referred to the Matrix Trust, and not only did it decide it could help with the garden, but this weekend some new fence panels have been installed, free of charge.

Tracy said: “I would not have asked them to add the fence panels myself, but they decided they were necessary as my garden is next to a footpath.”

Matrix Trust volunteers, from left: team leader Nick Ashman, Archie and Joe.

The tidy up at the end of her garden and the fence panels next to the footpath will certainly give the area a look of respectability. This, in turn, will hopefully all add to building a better community for all.

One of the team leaders at work in Westborough was Nick Ashman. He explained that the base and control centre for the weekend was at St Peter’s Shared Church on the green at Bellfields.

Nick said: “All the tools are there, so we can call up if we need some specific ones brought out to help with what we are doing.”

He also said that Kendall car and van hire had donated the use of several vehicles this wekend. These have visited the sites and addresses where the work has been taking place and have been loaded up with the green waste and any rubbish. The waste has then been taken to Guildford’s recycling centre in Slyfield.

Staff from Guildford Borough Council’s parks department assisted the Matrix Trust volunteers with clearing up green waste and chipping some of the larger branches and greenery.

Two tree surgeons also gave their time for free, tackling some of the larger jobs that were required.

Click here to go to the Matrix Trust’s own website.