St John’s Community in West Byfleet has received two water butts, donated via the Wickes Community Programme, to support its ECO Church project and help volunteers maintain a more sustainable outdoor space for local residents.

The donation has already made an immediate impact. Previously, volunteers were required to carry buckets of water between church buildings, but the new water butts allow for easy access via connected hose pipes, making garden maintenance far more efficient.

The water supply is helping to sustain a growing wildflower meadow and natural garden habitats, developed as part of the ECO Church initiative. Open daily to the community, the space provides a much-needed green oasis in an otherwise built-up area.

Neil Hatton, church warden and ECO Church lead, said, “On behalf of St John's Community, may we thank Wickes for supporting our ECO Church project by donating two water butts - which have been filled in no time!

“Before Wickes’ support, we were having to carry water buckets to and from our church buildings, whereas we now have hosepipes connected to the water butts.”

Hannah Randle Hockin, community engagement and social impact manager at Wickes, said: "We are proud to support St John’s Community and their ECO Church project.

“It’s fantastic to see how something as simple as water butts can make a real difference, helping volunteers maintain these green spaces more easily while creating a welcoming environment for the whole community to enjoy.”

The Wickes Community Programme has supported more than 4,500 charities and projects since its launch and is looking for more to support. They have a product donation fund of £300,000 to support charities and community organisations.

Wickes, a home improvement retailer, has 230 sites across the UK and an extended range online.