Six goodgymers braved the rain and wind and jogged the short distance along a busy Western Road to Fred Emery Court, one of the many YMCA sheltered housing accomodations in our city.

We made our way through to the small and neglected back garden area, which was paved, with some raised beds, and a small shed. Numerous flats overlook the yard area and it was looking very tired and needed a little bit of love.

The lack of any lights meant that we mainly worked by torch light, and with the rain, wind and cold increasing by the minute we worked hard and fast to make a difference to the communal area. We concentrated on removing all the weeds that were coming through between the paving stones and taking over the area.

We worked with hoes, spades and brushes and managed to clear the whole area. There are some nice items of garden furniture out there and we are hopeful that by making a good start on tidying up the garden, the residents will continue to make it a calm oasis within a busy city.