Spike Up Your Life

2 GoodGymers made their way to help an isolated older person in Hammersmith and Fulham.

  • Lucy Hill
  • Bethan Critchley
 
Friday, 4th of June 2021

It was take two for Mrs A’s front garden, although this time Bethan was joined by me (and not Cookie). On their previous appearance, the duo had done a lot of work chopping away at the overgrown hedges. They hadn’t really had a chance to get down and dirty in the garden bit, so that was today’s job.

Bethan had prewarned me that the weeds in the garden were almost as tall as her (not that that’s very tall hehe). I arrived outside and thought it didn’t look too bad... until I realised I was looking at the neighbours garden. Mrs A’s garden was more of a wild jungle. You couldn’t see past six foot brambles, and there was sticky weed and all sorts tangled up within.

Mrs A and her brother Mr E provided us with a big pair of choppers and a roll of heavy duty black sacks. There was an option of a strimmer, but we weren’t sure that it would take on the inch wide brambles that were adorning the front lawn.

Bethan started on bramble duty, hacking away at the thick old branches with the long choppers, and I began to pull out weeds in the pavement lining the path into the garden and front door. Before long I moved on to filling up the bags with the choppings Beth had created, and we soon swapped over so we could both take it in turns to get spiked by the thorny brambles.

It didn’t look like much, but we had almost six bags ready to burst with the bits we’d weeded and chopped and pulled out. Although there was still plenty more to do, the difference was outstanding (unlike the brambles). A couple of scratches each, two close shaves with a snail and only one near miss of Beth tugging up a long snaking vine and ending up inches from the floor when it finally gave way!

As we tidied up, Mr E commented that was surprised when two girls turned up, and that he was expecting two big strapping lads instead. We may be small, but we are mighty, and even the ratchet brambles are no match for us. We showed that garden some real GIRL POWER, so until next time, it’s peace out from the SPIKE GIRLS ✌🏻

Report written by Lucy Hill


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