Respite Renovations

It has been a busy two months for respite renovations with not one, but two garden transformations taking place for our clients in Birmingham.

 

We kick-started the campaign by launching an appeal on facebook seeking support from gardeners, suppliers and businesses asking for help from making coffees, donating supplies and digging up and laying slabs.

We were so overwhelmed with the generosity received from local businesses that we were able to extend our support to help not one but two of our clients with garden renovations.

 

Garden 1 – Coleshill

 

After going through two cancer diagnoses herself client one is now struggling with lymphodema in her legs which gives her mobility problems and has resulted in the need to be rehoused. All of the families money went into helping her move into the new property but they didn’t have extra funds to make the garden safe.

 

 

Since 2011 our client lost her husband, granddaughter, granddaughters mom and this year her son all to cancer. After a tragic few years, we wanted to help our client by making her garden safe for her to use in her new home.

 

The amazing EH smith offered to supply all of the supplies needed for the renovation, and pulled us out of a tricky situation with a last-minute call on the third day requesting extra slabs. 

 

Adam From EH Smiths Castle Bromwich said ” We are a West Midlands based builders merchant and have a charitable fund that donates to lots of worthy charities. I heard of Help Harry and contacted HQ to apply, we can supply materials out of the yard straight to the job, it’s nice to be able to help the two clients”.

 

In addition to the equipment donation, Hampton Construction reached out to us to offer their time to lead the transformation on-site and worked solidly to get it done in just 3 days. 

 

Jake from Hampton Construction said, ” We dug up the turf, took up the old slabs, dug tree roots and made it into a flat accessible garden, I loved every moment. I would do this every day of the week truly amazing people”.

 

Our client said when asked – what does the garden mean to you? “It’s given me a new lease for life, I couldn’t go outside but now I have the chance to and go out and potter about in my garden. It’s going to make a massive difference. “

Garden 2 – Chelmsley wood

 

We were delighted to work with EHsmith again who selflessly offered to supply all of the supplies needed for the second renovation with Flowers Landscaping donating their time and expertise leading the transformation on-site with additional help from Lloyds Bank Commercial team.

 

Client two in her early 50’s has Vulva cancer and undergone 9 surgeries to date with the last one taken place just weeks ago. Lymphodema has effected her mobility massively which impacts her mobility and is in a lot of pain most of the time. The centre has helped her and her family in many ways including counselling, benefits advice, debt and financial advice and most recently one of our volunteers helped her to get rehomed. Due to her lymphodema and mobility issues, the garden is not suitable for her needs which is where we stepped in to help.

 

John from Flowers Landscaping said, ” Being from Chelmsley wood I wanted to give this family a big help, we are going to redesign the garden so it is low maintenance, a completely new patio with drainage, remove the trees a complete makeover for her”.

 

Client two said “I love it, I love my garden. I cannot believe what you have achieved in the last few days in the rain wind and mud. You have all been amazing, I really can’t express what this will mean to us in our lives. Now my recovery will be in the garden, you are fantastic. Thank you so much.”