GardenMates – provides a basic gardening maintenance service on an ongoing basis and does not include other home maintenance activities. GardenMates matches a volunteer with the client, to assist with light gardening including weeding, planting and sweeping to keep the garden tidy and to provide companionship. Only ground level activities are allowed, and the volunteer is not permitted to use power tools, ladders or provide lawn mowing, rubbish removal or pruning of trees. The program is designed to develop the active ageing of consumers and support their ability to completed as many activities as they can for themselves. An initial visit to the client’s home will be made to check for a safe environment and to agree a schedule of gardening activities. Then a meeting to match the volunteer and client will be arranged, to agree the services required and the times when the volunteer will visit. Priority is given to clients who have high needs.