A HARD day’s work is, in many ways, its own reward, but add a custom-printed shirt into the mix and that is certainly a day to remember.

Such was the case for Dawlish Gardens Trust, whose clients were called in to fix up a piece of land owned by Teign Corinthian Yacht Club, after which the club presented them with specially printed t-shirts.

A charitable organisation first and foremost, the Dawlish Gardens Trust also seeks to promote job-skills for its clients: maintaining church yards in and around Dawlish for instance.

Odd landscaping jobs such as these are in charity’s wheelhouse and so when Teign Corinthian Yacht Club were in need of a crack team of landscapers, there was only port of call.

‘My husband has been a member of the yacht club for a number of years’ Dawlish Gardens Trust volunteer and trustee, Dee Pocock, said.

‘The yacht club owns a piece of land in Teignmouth which was in a somewhat scruffy state.

‘They were talking about bringing in some professional landscapers in to tidy it up. I suggested that that is right up Dawlish Gardens Trust’s street - it is exactly the sort of thing that the ladies and gentlemen who go to the trust would like to do’ she added.

Typically, such a job would see a monetary donation made to the charity, however the trust’s operations manager, Nigel Higginson, suggested something different.

‘Dee asked if we would be interested in clearing this land for the yachting club.

‘They said they would pay for it of course, but I thought that while, payment is nice, we are looking at getting some football t-shirts printed because the guys here have asked to start a football team.

‘And so I asked if the yacht club if they would be prepared to get them printed for us and they said sure!

Teign Corinthian Yacht Club, which boasts an active, round-the-cans keelboat racing fleet, with races being held every Wednesday evening in the summer, were, it is fair to say, very pleased with the work done by the Dawlish Gardens Trust.

‘The Dawlish Gardens Trust team have done a superb job clearly the land and getting things under control for us’ Mike Commander, Commondore at Teign Corinthian Yacht Club, said.

‘We were only too pleased to have been able to support them with supply of the football t-shirts’ he added.

Dawlish Gardens Trust is a charity which provides vocational training for people with additional needs, sensory and hidden impairments.

The charity offers persons the chance to participate in a range of work experiences, such as animal care, arts and crafts, catering, conservation, horticulture and wood-work, in a safe, supervised environment.