A crack team of weed killers
2 GoodGymers made their way to help an isolated older person in Birmingham.
- Sunday, 21st of July 2019
I met up with Fiona in Sutton Park for what should have been an easy and optional run over to our mission. I had forgotten about the hills in this area. Undaunted, we pushed through to make it there on time to a warm welcome, and thankfully, a very clear space where the weeds look like weeds and we didn't have to put our limited gardening knowledge to the test. Our host was fantastic, explaining how much pain getting down to kneel and do this work would cause her, and sharing lots of entertaining conversation including a fondness for Gerard Butler in films, and how it's lucky for her that he's fond of the older ladies! We also got to meet her cat, who was more than a little unsure about us being there. So we got down to sweeping up leaves and clearing weeds from the cracks in the paving slabs. It was great to hear how much our work would help her to enjoy her garden, which was looking beautiful in the afternoon sun. After being sent off with a kind bottle of water each, and saying goodbye to a neighborhood cat out front (Jonny would have loved this task) we set back off for the park. Along the way, Fiona managed to randomly bump into an old friend, and further on, to lose her gardening gloves as we ran downhill. I opted to run back for the glove which was still lying up at the top of the hill, as I could see the agony in Fiona's face at the prospect and it was me that suggested that we run in the first place. After another great run and chat we said goodbye hoping that there may be many more missions in future.
Report written by John Hayes
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Gardening for the Jewllery Quarter Development Trust in Birmingham
Tuesday 18:00 - 19:30
Led by
Jonny Carter
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Amazing work John and Fiona. What a lovely first Birmingham mission!
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