I went to help Mr K with a gardening task. He was once a keen gardener (alongside a keen motorbiker, cyclist and traveller), but that darned age thing got him, and at 93, he wasn’t quite able to manage his lovely garden they way he once did.

On first glance, you wouldn’t have realised how big the back garden was. Mr K explained that beyond the overgrown pathway and the trees creating a barrier was a large open space. He would love to get back to being able to use the outdoor area again, and goodgym had been asked to help with clearing the path to allow him access.

It was a solo mission, and I realised quickly I wasn’t going to be able to manage this alone… even with Mr K keenly getting involved. Despite him moving around with a Zimmer frame, he was still enthusiastically moving boxes, picking up tools for me and getting involved. Half of me was pleased he was still trying to be so active, the other half was terrified he was going to fall over after insisting he could carry a bag of garden waste to the brown bin. Note please that no falls, slips, trips or near misses occurred during this mission!

Anyway, I got to work trimming back plants and weeds that were encroaching the pathway. I swept away the dust and dirt, filled bags and boxes with old cuttings and bits of bramble and leaves, and in the time allotted, I’d made a small but meaningful impact. Mr K was pleased he would be able to at least sit on his chair!

Hopefully with a bit more man power the job could get done, and Mr K would be able to see the whole of his garden again soon!