Turf Wars!

A group of pondering runners could be found by their home windows across Poole at 4pm as the heavens were open and rain was pouring!

But the plan remained to attend and hope we can do some digging.

Just like when our problems feel too much, the clouds cleared and the sun returns like a new breathe of air.

We arrived at Hamworthy Park at 6pm to meet Stan, the trustee turned gardener of 'Friends of Hamworthy Park'.

Tonight we were armed with spades and the chosen plot was to be dug up, ready for wild flower seeds. Sounded simple enough, turns out it was a pretty tough job breaking into the ground in the first place! Office workers, retired ladies, care workers all turned into gardeners, with a fight for the soft turf!

The second job was carting the piles of turf a few 100m to be reused for future projects. Wheelbarrow wheelies were on!

Richard proved his strength 💪 with his tough action on his spade whilst Patricia showed us, whilst small in stature she is mighty in power! Becky is one of those quietly working in the background, then you realise she has cleared a big patch of grass whilst you lent on your spade! Maria proved she could talk and dig just like a Goodgym Pro (Go order that T-Shirt!), Nicola proved that mathematicians can wheel in a straight line, sort of!

1 hour later, there was a clearly dig area, ready for stage two of the project!

It was time for a run, Nicola had walked 2 miles in so we headed off in the direction of her area, across the old bridge onto The Quay. A 5k route affecting every one of our senses! We smelt fish from the sea, chemicals from the factory and fumes from smokers we ran past. We had the feel and look of mud and dirt in our finger nails from the digging. We had the views of dark clouds, boats, the sea and beyond. We had the taste of the sea in our mouths We had the sound of seagulls, the wind across the boat sails and blowing through the streets around the old town. It was a sensory overload but bringing a calming of the soul.

Nicki peeled off at one end, Pat was dropped another and a 5k completed by final musketeers, all ready for a cuppa back home.

Great work everyone!