Mend & Tend

Our gardens and homes are important to us and Community First’s Home Services understands that in later life gardening and working on your home can become more than a little difficult.  

Mend & Tend is Community First’s accredited not-for-profit decorating, repair and gardening service. It is for residents of Fareham, Gosport and Havant and their surrounding areas (PO6 through to PO16 and SO31) who are older/vulnerable and/or have a disability and would like to continue living independently in their own home. We will take care of the day-to-day work so that you can enjoy your home and garden.

Our Mend service includes:

• Inside painting and decorating
• External painting
• Wallpapering
• Building shelves
• Putting up curtain rails
• Mending and replacing fences
• Installing grab rails
• Installing stair rails
• Repairing doors
• Putting up pictures
• Minor plumbing repairs: Tap washers & Plumbing in washing machines

It does not include:

• Changing/fitting security alarms
• Fitting fire alarms
• Electrical Work

Our Tend service includes:

• General gardening work
• Weeding
• Mowing
• Hosing
• Light pruning
• Hedge trimming

It does not include:

• Garden waste removal
• Tree maintenance

About our Mend & Tend workers

Our self-employed workers have a keen interest and experience in gardening and/or fixing and decorating homes. They will always carry Community First identity cards for your assurance.

We recruit our workers through the following process:

• Interview
• References
• DBS (police) check

Costs

• An annual administration charge of £60, is collected by Community First.
• An hourly rate for your worker of £13.50
• The cost of any materials required*.

Hours are agreed by the client in advance with the gardener.

*Fees for work and materials are paid direct to the gardener on satisfactory completion of the work. 

Clients to provide all equipment for the tasks in good working order.

Responsibility for any accidental damage lies with the customer.

Funding

Community First’s Mend & Tend service is funded entirely by Client Membership charges and donations to Community First. It receives no other funding for this important service. If you wish to make a donation or leave a bequest, please contact us.

You can also raise funds through shopping online at no extra cost through easyfundraising.

You can also support us through Fareham or Gosport‘s Community Lottery scheme to also have the chance to win big while donating.

Request a Mend & Tend worker

Request A Mend & Tend worker

Once your application is received, you will be added to our waiting list. We will contact you when a Mend & Tend worker becomes available. Once you are matched with a worker, you will be notified in advance of your worker contacting you. For your safety, all workers will carry Community First identity cards. 

Work as a Mend & Tend worker

We welcome applications from experienced and enthusiastic gardeners, decorators and handy workers who like to help people in their local community. We take up references and DBS Checks for every worker (charges apply) before introducing them to the service and new clients. 

Workers are self-employed and must make their own arrangements to register for tax, national insurance, public liability insurance and car insurance etc.

Mend & Tend worker Application Form

Contact us

Fareham & Havant: 01329 223140 

Gosport: 023 9250 3871 

Lines are operated Monday to Friday 9.30am to 12.30pm. Outside of these hours, please leave a message and we will contact you the next working day. 

Email for both areas: mendandtend@cfirst.org.uk