Two Goodgym ladies went on a mission to assist an isolated person tidy their garden; the day the clocks went forward, Sunday 25 March, the sun shined and the sky was partly blue.

Christine cycled and ran to the location; noting a wood and a public footpath along the way. Georgie arrived on time by car (having swapped a flat tyre with the spare - helped only by the internet - well done Georgie!)

Mr J didn’t hear the doorbell, but did answer his phone; the doorbell can’t be heard over the tv!

There are gardens front and back, both composed of grass (too wet to mow today), with paths leading to his front and rear doors, the flower bed at the back, glasshouse and shed on the left, and bird feeding station in the middle. We were given access to a sink and various tools. Mr J wants to grow tomatoes in his greenhouse so we agree to start on this and then make a start on tidying the paths.

The green bin was hard to move, as already two thirds full of mud, grass and rotting leaves, so we emptied it out on top of grass cuttings on the bed at the back; Christine’s gloves got wet and smelly tidying the spillage on the grass - fortunately the smell didn’t last long! Gardening mission tip - take more than one pair of gardening gloves and a portable knee pad to a gardening mission!

Listening to bird song, we removed the glasshouse’s weeds, turned over the soil, and brushed down its path and wooden wall. We cleared the path area from the shed to the bird feeder table, removing plants growing between paving slabs, and hoeing the grass edge.

Mr J came to the back door a few times to offer us coffee, which we declined, and see how we were progressing. He had been a welder for many years. He also taught welding. We found out he had built the property himself!

After two hours we brought the mission to a close, thanked Mr J for having us, and suggested he arrange another Goodgym team visit to finish the Spring spruce up.

Photo credit: Georgie