Volunteers’ Week – Thank You, Fran

Fran Griffiths is one of the volunteer gardeners in the Cathedral Gardens of St German’s Cathedral, Isle of Man.

Volunteers’ Week – Thank You, Fran

“Being a volunteer in the Cathedrals Gardens was a very positive experience for me…. it reminded me that God loves to create beauty out of nothing and even works His good purposes into painful situations. I was helped in my time of need and I’m very thankful for that.”

Fran is one of the garden volunteers in St German Cathedral Gardens on the Isle of Man which tell the Christian story and its engagement with Manx culture from the arrival of St German, a disciple of St Patrick, in 447 to the present day.

There are 17 garden rooms in total. Each garden represents a century and the gardens have many other stories to tell too, there’s a medicinal plants trail plus a trail relating to ‘Slavery, Racial Justice and Genocide’.

Fran said:

“Becoming a volunteer in the Cathedrals Gardens was a very positive experience for me.

“I worked with a lovely mini community of people who welcomed me at a time in my life when I needed help after a bereavement.

“Doing physical activity outdoors improved my physical fitness, and being around supportive people helped my mental health.

“It also impacted my spiritual life because as I experienced the beauty of the gardens, which had developed from a blank canvas, it reminded me that God loves to create beauty out of nothing and even works His good purposes into painful situations.

“I was helped in my time of need and I’m very thankful for that.”

BBC’s Songs of Praise have just filmed with the garden volunteers from St German’s Cathedral Garden for a feature in their programme on July 2.

Do you have time to offer or skills to share. Your cathedral needs you! Do get in touch with your local cathedral this #VolunteerWeek

All the contact details for cathedrals can be found here.