Five Ipswich Stake Projects a Success!

On Saturday July 2nd 2011, 7 units of the Ipswich Stake gathered in 5 different locations to carry out Helping Hands projects across the Stake. 343 members collectively dedicated 1235 voluntary hours across the day to serve in the local community.
In Colchester, Gosbecks Primary School's foundation class area received a complete makeover; In Bury, Northcourt Care Home's gardens were cleared, tidied and areas replanted; In Ipswich over 100 Mental Health Service users and their families and friends were provided with a fun day and barbecue; In Chelmsford, the Galleywood Heritage Center was revisited for painting and maintenance work (see original project in 2009 below); And finally, Maldon members worked at the Chelmer Valley Nature Reserve to manage woodland areas, cutting back shrubs and resurfacing footpaths.

Photo's and personal experiences to follow soon:-)

Mole Hall - the finished project:

The education centre - looking almost good as new after a lot of patching up and re-painting
A large team spent the whole day rubbing down and re-painting every bench in the park!

The newly painted pink walls and painted gates and fencing outside monkey house! Isis Holmes loved painting a whole wall pink!
The monkey house interior after the removal of various structures, items and much muck!

The old pond removed and in with the new - many young people spent hours demolishing the old pond and preparing for the new pond lining to be put in place
Jorge Serra and the carpentry team built a wonderful canopy for the cafeteria area
This is one example of various areas of land that were covered in trees, shrubbery and rubble!
The finished mural in the education centre - wonderful and great fun!
Relief Society Sisters did wonders making the cafeteria look great with newly made curtains and tie backs
These sheds, among others took the whole day to make as good as new. Grand job guys!
Some of our fine young men did a great job creating a raised roundabout out of railway sleepers for the car park entrance
Miss Beevers takes the final snaps of the day while Mel Holmes points out the day's success to Bex West

Mole Hall Wildlife Park Helping Hands work in progress...

Mormon Helping Hands to the rescue...

Some heavy and skilled clearing work was needed to get to some of the work sites. Here's our very own Jonathon West wielding a chainsaw!

I had never seen quite so much garden furniture in one place. A large group worked tirelessly to rub down and re-paint every outdoor furniture item in the park!

Tons of earth and rubble had to be cleared from various areas of the park

The project was ideal for families who could work together or easily be in close proximity and view of the creche facilities.

Roz & Chrissie LaFevre get stuck in!

Bishop Johnson loving that strimmer!

I missed every opportunity to take a good shot of Jeremy felting the roof. This is the closest I got. He needed that hat - the sun was relentless!

The Monkey House was transformed from a shack to a palace in just one day!

Measuring up the felt for the shed roofs

The ace carpentry team - lead by Jorge Serra!

Magnificent patchwork and rendering by Mervyn Holmes

The Peacocks kept a close eye on things all day!

The mid-stages of the beautiful and fun mural for the education centre wall

Some of the youth got stuck into pond demolition and re-filling

Various shots: the Fagg family and others paint the monkey house; some young men creating a raised bed roundabout for the car park entrance; Bernie and co. painting the monkey house walls.

Missionaries help to muck out the monkey house; Gloria Watson and Marion Biggs greet people as they arrive in the afternoon; mural painting; a family working together to paint furniture; Temple Futter worked hard all day on the digger; President Fagg and President Lau take a moment after mucking out and raking!

Galleywood Heritage Centre June 27th 2009: The Big Day in pictures!

Some of the Helping Hands crew raring to get started on their share of the work!

Relief Society Sisters from all over the Stake worked hard to create a beautiful quilt which was later presented to the GHC in November 2009

Tons of earth and rubble was removed to make clear walk-ways and space for fresh planting.

Tree felling and clearing shrubbery for footpaths and a large pond

GHC Chairman praises Helping Hands volunteers hard work!

John Turpentine, Galleywood Heritage Centre's Chairman, expressed his gratitude and admiration for the volunteers and the amount of hard work that has been completed at the Centre. He said: "I can't believe how much you've done, but why doesn't that surprise me!?"

...Helping Hands 2009!

Nearly 400 volunteers from the Ipswich Stake joined forces with the Parish Council and the Friends of the Centre and started refurbishment work on the disused depot on the Common, part of the old racecourse northern grandstand.

During the 12-hour day volunteers of all ages created a pond, laid out new paths through the grounds, (as pictured) put up fencing, built brick walls, cut back trees, removed undergrowth, landscaped and created a new gateway, painted garage doors, window frames and security grilles along with a multitude of other tasks using material, plant and machinery purchased by Galleywood Parish Council.

Helping Hands also provided 200 bird and bat boxes, new picnic tables, made curtains and created story bags for up to 5 years old for the Children’s Day Nursery. Relief Society Sisters created a beautiful quilt which will be presented to the Centre on November 14th.

The work was completed in less than 12 months and under the expected budget!

Among those who came along to see the work being carried out were Vice Chairman of the parish council, Chairman of the Galleywood Heritage Centre, Chelmsford Mayor & Mayoress and Simon Burns MP.

Maldon and Chelmsford Wards are adopting the centre for ongoing service which has commenced with another wave of bat and bird boxes being built, painting and external decoration, and conservation work by the youth and Elders of the church.

Helping Hands hits the headlines...

We are busy collating all the photos from the day and from the project at the Heritage Centre... but we have already hit the local news headlines!

Counting Down... 1 day to go!

Getting ready for Helping Hands 2009 is no mean feat... and the team behind the project have been planning with military precision since 2008!

We have been involving local Councillors and local media (including the Essex Chronicle) in searching for the perfect opportunity to MAKE A DIFFERENCE. We are often asked WHY we volunteer our time, with nothing in it *for us*... and the answer is easy! We (along with 13 million other volunteers from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, as well as volunteers from other faiths) believe that serving other, serving our community is the right thing to do.

The annual Helping Hands day is observed throughout the world - and is not just confined to our efforts at the Galleywood Common! From Brazil to Botswana, and America to Africa... Helping Hands brings people together to build something worthwhile... to make our communities better.

For more information on Helping Hands projects throughout the world visit www.lds.org/ldsnewsroom/

Helping Hands help Haiti Earthquake victims start to rebuild their lives
Helping Hands cleans up areas affected by Tornadoes
Helping Hands clean up after Hurricane
Helping Hands help school in Brazil
Helping Hands in Africa
Helping Hands help 300 Brazilian Hospitals
Helping Hands youth in USA, Finland, Philippines...
Helping Hands 2009 (USA) - links to media coverage of the multi-state projects...
Helping Hands in New Zealand
Helping Hands help flood victims
Helping Hands in Tonga
Helping Hands youth in Australia

"...when ye are in the service of your fellow beings, you are only in the service of your God." (Mosiah 2:17)

Counting Down... 3 days to go!