Royal Garden Party invites for The Heath’s community volunteers

Runcorn: April 8, 2025: Representatives from The Heath Business and Technical Park’s community team are to attend a Royal Garden Party at Buckingham Palace hosted by King Charles next month.

Although primarily a business centre, The Heath in Runcorn is also a vital community facility for local residents. Staff at the award-winning Park have created ‘Eat@TheHeath’, a club for the over fifties which has become a focal gathering point for companionship, friendship and fun as the antidote to loneliness and isolation.

The club stages weekly gatherings including entertainment, monthly luncheon-dances and special Christmas functions with daytrips organised during the year too.  The Heath also has a community garden managed by volunteers that provides a peaceful and tranquil space.

During a visit to The Heath last year Clare Hayward MBE, The High Sheriff of Cheshire, praised the ‘amazing’ volunteers who run the Eat@TheHeath Community Group saying it was important to recognise their efforts because of the time they give up running the popular community programme and ‘their energy, vision and passion’.

Now Eileen Miller, Site Charter and Community Manager at The Heath, and three of her volunteers – Gill Banks, Eileen Erlis and Ann Varty – have been invited to a Garden Party at Buckingham Place on Wednesday, May 7^th.

The  voluntary initiative is run by Eileen Miller and Alison Albion, another member of The Heath Community team, four other members of staff and a community police officer. They are supported by a small group of volunteers in a scheme that encourages people to attend to combat their own loneliness and then to engage with each other to cope with isolation and mental health issues.

The Heath’s owner John Lewis MBE says he is immensely proud of the community initiative instigated by his staff and volunteers.                                        

He said: “Following the pandemic, my staff created ‘Eat@TheHeath’, a club for the over fifties which has become a focal gathering point for companionship, friendship and fun as the antidote to loneliness and isolation. Around 110 people attend our weekly gatherings, 140 join the luncheon-dances while Christmas activities attract over 170 local people. The initiative is a superb way to combat loneliness for senior citizens in the local community. It’s the highlight of the week for many attendees by providing an opportunity for them to get out of their home and to meet and make new friends. We have even bought a minibus to transport elderly residents to and from events to ensure anyone can attend.”

Eillen Miller said: “I and my team really enjoy organising our community programme and attending the weekly gatherings. It was a lovely surprise when we were told of our invitation to the Royal Garden Party after being nominated by the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire’s office.”

About The Heath

The Heath Business and Technical Park is a phenomenal regeneration success story. Formed in 2000, its owner and operator, SOG Ltd, has transformed a once single occupancy corporate facility into a thriving independent business park. The Heath now provides office and laboratory accommodation for around 125 individual organisations, ranging from business services and IT specialists to those at the cutting edge of science, research and advanced manufacturing.  The Heath supports around 2,000 jobs. For further information, telephone 01928 515988 or visit www.theheath.com

Issued on behalf of The Heath Business and Technical Park,

Runcorn, Cheshire, WA7 4QX – Part of the SOG Group

Media Contact: Paul Smith: paul@paulsmithassociates.co.uk