GT Reading — Test 40

Reading passage

TEXT A — Riverside Community Garden — Weekend Helpers Wanted Riverside Community Garden is looking for cheerful weekend helpers to keep our shared plots thriving through the growing season. No gardening experience is needed. Our regular volunteers will show you everything on your first morning, from watering the raised beds to weeding the herb borders and turning the compost heaps. Sessions run every Saturday and Sunday from 9 a.m. until noon, right through until the end of October. You are welcome to come to just one session or to both. We simply ask that you let the coordinator know by the Thursday before, so we can plan tasks and prepare enough tools for everyone. Gloves, forks, trowels and wheelbarrows are all provided, though you may bring your own if you prefer. Please wear sturdy footwear and clothes you do not mind getting muddy. A shaded rest area with drinking water is available, and biscuits appear at our mid-morning break. Helpers who complete six sessions may take home a share of whatever we harvest that week, whether that is a bag of runner beans or a bunch of sweet peas. To sign up, email Priya at the address on our noticeboard, or simply turn up at the green gate on Mill Lane a few minutes before nine. ———————————— TEXT B — Harbourview Animal Shelter — Dog-Walking Volunteers Could you spare an hour to give one of our rescue dogs the exercise and company they long for? Harbourview Animal Shelter relies on a friendly team of dog-walkers, and we are hoping to recruit several more before the busy summer. Walkers must be at least eighteen years old and reasonably fit, as some of our larger dogs pull keenly on the lead. Before your first walk you must attend a short training afternoon, held on the last Sunday of each month, where our staff explain how to handle each animal safely and what to do if a dog becomes anxious. Walks take place between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m., seven days a week. You choose your own slots through our online booking page, and you may walk as often or as little as suits you. Leads, waste bags and high-visibility jackets are supplied at reception. We are unable to accept walkers who have their own dog with them, as this can unsettle the shelter animals. Please also note that under-sixteens may visit at weekends but only alongside a registered adult walker. If you would like to apply, download the form from our website and post it to the shelter, or drop it in personally during opening hours. ———————————— TEXT C — Meals on Wheels — Delivery Drivers Needed The Oakfield Meals on Wheels service delivers hot, freshly cooked lunches to older residents across the district, and we urgently need extra drivers to keep every round on time. For many of the people we visit, our driver is the only friendly face they see all day, so a warm word at the doorstep matters as much as the meal itself. Drivers use their own car and must hold a full, clean licence. We reimburse fuel costs at forty pence per mile, paid into your bank account at the end of each month. Meals are collected from the kitchen at Oakfield Hall at 11.30 a.m. and the round is usually finished by around 1.15 p.m. We ask for a commitment of at least one weekday round a fortnight, though many drivers happily do more. A criminal records check is arranged and paid for by us before you begin, and takes roughly three weeks to come through, so do apply in good time. Insulated carrying boxes are lent to each driver to keep the food piping hot. To find out more, ring the office on the number below between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., Monday to Friday, and ask for Malcolm.