SELFLESS volunteers were surprised after opening their front doors to find a seasonal planted basket gift from a garden centre.

Volunteers for Abberton Rural Training charity help to provide practical and skills training alongside therapeutic support and mentoring to Essex residents.

The charity helps participants to access jobs, become self-employed, move into further education and training or become involved in volunteering.

Perrywood Garden Centre, in Tiptree, gave 20 volunteers the baskets as a small thank you for their time to support the charity.

Gazette:

For the last seven years, Perrywood has organised a Christmas Cheer campaign with the aim of spreading joy to residents.

Last year they asked their team to nominate and deliver a gift to an individual who, for one reason or another, deserves some Christmas cheer.

Louise Smith, communications manager at Perrywood, said: ”Our Christmas Cheer campaign is always a fantastic way to end the year.

"We really admire the hard work the volunteers put into supporting Abberton Rural Training and it's lovely to be able to gift them all a planter to give them a little something back for their valued time.”