The team, made up of staff from Melville Housing Association, housebuilder Lovell Partnerships and property and construction consultants Hardies, braved less-than-ideal weather conditions to help out at the Mayfield Pavilion and Pantry, run by Mayfield and Easthouses Development Trust (MAEDT).

Already working together on the new Oakwood Edge housing development at Oak Place, Mayfield, volunteers from the three organisations teamed up to sort clothes and stock at the Pantry, prepare ground and lay slabs at the Pavilion garden as well as paint furniture and shift topsoil in preparation for the new growing season.

“We couldn’t continue to operate without the hard work of volunteers so to have this much help was fantastic,” said Sharon Hill of MAEDT. “We’ve got big plans for both the Pavilion and Pantry so any help we get helps move these forward. We’re extremely grateful to everyone who helped out, it’s much appreciated.”

“We were delighted to be able to give up a wee bit of our time to help out,” said Melville development manager Neil Edgar. “To be honest, the work was a bit more physically strenuous than we’re used to on an average weekday however we all enjoyed it and were happy to make a small contribution to the really valuable work done by Sharon and her team.”

Sarah Freel, head of partnerships for Lovell in Scotland, said: “We are committed to delivering not just much-needed quality, affordable homes at our Oakwood Edge development but also to working with local people to provide meaningful and tangible contributions for the whole community. Our team members were so pleased to donate their time and for the opportunity to witness first-hand the great work done by Mayfield and Easthouses Development Trust at the Mayfield Pavilion and Pantry.”

Abbie Douglas of Hardies said: “It was a real pleasure to be able to help such a worthwhile charity and give something back to the local community.”

Melville has a long-standing relationship with MAEDT and this latest partnership follows collaboration on an innovative Polycrub at the Pavillion garden in 2022. Installation of the sustainable polytunnel/ greenhouse hybrid, which makes locally grown fruit and veg available all year round, was paid for with funding from Melville.