Aegean UK

Four GoodGym runners returned to the Age UK Dementia Day Care Centre in Sutton Coldfield to clear their grounds of the Autumnal fallen leaves. For Başak, it was her very first GoodGym good deed, having spent the last 2 months in Birmingham, swapping the beautiful surroundings of Gallipoli in Turkey for a soggy car park in the West Midlands. The first mission of the day was for Ben, who ran over to the town centre to find Başak, who was in this area for the first time, and understandably, a little lost. Amy arrived just as they returned to our spot just outside of the town centre, and Ben introduced us all to the clear up task. There was a leaf blower and a lawn mower available to use, but they were left inside as the rain really didn’t make it look like they would be effective. So we got to business, with Amy using a rake to get the fallen leaves off the grass, while Başak and Ben swept the tarmac and I used my gloves to pick up piles of natural matter. As we had filled up the eighth bag to the brim, the rain picked its moment to stop and the sun came out to laugh at us. But we were able to bask in the good we had managed to do, and introduced Başak to the glamour of posing next to bin bags! We were helping again in the hope that this centre can open again in November, which we hope isn’t as unachievable as it appears from the upcoming announcements which we are all anticipating. Yet one way or another, we will be back again at some point to help them bring back a vital facility for people suffering with Dementia which is one of many sorely missed services at this time.