Challenge accepted: finding calm, creativity and community outdoors
24 Aug 2026
“I left feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.”
For Maisie, TLSE Graduate Intern in Information, Advice and Guidance, the invitation to join colleagues from Assessment & Progression and Student Support and Wellbeing for a volunteering day at Station South was too good to pass up. It felt like the perfect chance to swap the screen for fresh air, greenery and good company.
Station South, a community garden and café tucked away in the heart of Levenshulme, offered exactly what she’d hoped for: “Station South was so peaceful and calming, a real oasis in the heart of Levenshulme. Everyone I sat with and chatted to was so knowledgeable and welcoming.”
A day of seed saving… in 34 degree heat!
The morning began with two activities: seed saving (popping or shaking seeds out of dried flowers for next year’s planting) or watering and weeding for those happy to take on something more physical.
In the afternoon, colleagues could choose between more gardening, or a calmer creative task: painting new signs for the garden’s different areas, which Maisie took part in: “Both activities I took part in were super therapeutic and calming, and I left Station South feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, rather than the sluggishness that you often feel when leaving the office!”
The impact of Maisie and the team was environmental, reducing the need for mass‑produced seed packets, while also adding colour and character to the garden with their hand‑painted signs.
Not volunteered yet?
“Use your volunteer days! It’s such a good initiative to give us 3 days to contribute positively to the world. I would especially recommend finding a volunteering opportunity in a green space however, as it was just so nice to get out of the concrete jungle for a while!”
- Volunteering Policy: all colleagues are entitled to three paid leave days (pro rata) each year, to dedicate their time and skills to a local cause of their choosing
- Challenge Accepted: our fundraising and volunteering campaign is one of the first bold steps in delivering our Manchester 2035 strategy; committing to becoming a great philanthropic university by connecting people to the causes that matter most.