The Friends of Goodmayes Hospital volunteer group is looking for more members to help it continue to provide a shop and tea bar in the Sunflowers Court mental health inpatient unit.

Members raise money to provide additional items for the unit at the hospital in Barley Lane, and its surroundings, to further improve the experience for people using it.

Earlier this year they raised funds to help convert a disused area of outdoor space into a wheelchair-accessible vegetable garden.

It opened in July.

Service users took part in every step of the process from seeding, watering and weeding through to harvesting.

The garden is also now used as an educational tool to promote health and wellbeing to patients as part of their recovery.

Friends chairman Olive Joyce said: “The Friends of Goodmayes is a lovely group of volunteers who dedicate some of their time each week to helping to improve the overall experience of mental health service users.

“Sometimes this is through fundraising for extra equipment for ward areas, and sometimes this can be just through having a chat with a service user or carer over a cup of tea.”

If you have a spare afternoon free each week to help maintain the valued service, the group would like you to get in touch.

Full training is given and you would always be working with an experienced volunteer. Call 01708 769 707 for more information.