Tabita's aunt

Alison Harvie writes, with a thank you from Tabita below:Whilst everyone else was busy bonding with the donkeys, five of us had set off in the opposite direction, down the canal and heading West. We were all a bit giddy, feeling like a renegade GoodGym troop with no one in charge – a bit like teenagers allowed out for the first time without parental supervision.Thankfully we overcame the initial impulse to skive off and smoke behind the bikesheds and instead diligently pounded the 3.5km to Englefield Road in the setting (and slightly blinding) sun. I was excited as this was the very road my parents got married from, and where we lived when I was born. Memory lane slightly being scuppered by the fact that I was unable to remember where we actually had lived so just merrily shouted “Harvie History” at most doors we passed.But far more importantly we were aimed at one (garden) door in particular, behind which we found the lovely Tabita, her extended family and a large amount of nettles. They needed our help in making the garden usable again for them, and importantly their aunt who’s mobility and sight issues meant that this outside space would prove invaluable. Heroic in face of 5ft high nettles and brambles we hacked our way through the thicket. I would flag up at this juncture that spandex does NOT provide adequate protection against a nettle’s sting.Nevertheless after 35 mins we’d made good going – clearing the vast amount of the nettles and declaring that we’d be back to fight the bramble. Immensely thankful of the fruit and ice cold water Tabita had laid on, we set off back refreshed and even capable of a final sprint down Cambridge Heath Road.Tabita's thank you:Thank you very much for the help today with the very wild garden. The crew were absolutely amazing! Please can you thank them for me as they did a fantastic job even though they were slightly taken aback by the enormous task.We can actually see beyond the front now! Just look at the pictures! My aunt will be so happy when everything is finally completed an we can start growing nice veg and flowers.