A peaceful sanctuary has been created by dedicated volunteers at a leading Nottingham detox facility, offering residents a beautiful outdoor space to support their recovery journey.
Community Spirit Blooms in Nottingham
Members of the Nottingham Rotary Club took action after hearing powerful stories from both staff and a former service user at The Level, Framework's specialist residential detox service. The moving accounts inspired Rotary members Paul Jones and Sophie Leadley to lead a remarkable transformation of the women's garden at the facility.
The Level provides specialist residential detox with a unique trauma-informed therapeutic approach, making the creation of calming environments particularly important for residents' healing processes.
A Garden Reborn
The volunteer team undertook extensive work to completely revitalise the outdoor space. Their efforts included laying fresh turf, installing raised planters, adding a solar-powered water fountain and bird bath, and mounting a beautiful hand-painted mural.
Sophie Leadley, who created the mural, completed the artwork just days before giving birth. The result is what staff describe as a vibrant and welcoming garden that will bring hope and comfort to the women supported at The Level.
Life-Changing Impact
Richard Sparkes, service manager at The Level, emphasised the profound importance of the transformed space. "Having a beautiful area to relax in could be the difference between someone completing their detox or not," he explained.
"The ripple effect of that is huge - families reunited, lives rebuilt, and people staying alive. You might never see the full impact of what you've created, but please know how much it means to us."
Loren Shore, community fundraiser at Framework, highlighted how the project began through their Community Network Events. "It's so lovely to see people who've never met before come together and connect through stories," she said.
"Paul and Sophie were so moved by hearing about the amazing work at The Level that it sparked this brilliant idea to create something special for the women there. That's exactly what our Community Network events are about: bringing people together from all walks of life so we can support the people who need it most."
Paul Jones, membership officer at Nottingham Rotary Club, expressed his enthusiasm for such projects. "These are exactly the kind of projects Rotarians love getting involved in. It gives us the chance to use our skills and expertise - and sometimes discover new ones - to deliver something that genuinely impacts people's lives."
Sarah Hill, therapy team leader at The Level, praised the ongoing commitment shown by the volunteers. "From the moment Paul and Sophie came to the Community Network event and heard about The Level, they've been so committed to helping. The garden is now an inspiring space that women will truly enjoy - we're so grateful."
