Sixteen enthusiastic members of the KFA Connect team help out at Naomi House & Jacksplace.
We took on a number of jobs in the gardens and grounds of Naomi House & Jacksplace hospice with the usual KFA attitude – to get the job done and do it to the best of our ability.
We were ready for action! Some of us were a bit worried that our skill set didn’t lend itself very well to a day of gardening – but we didn’t need to worry as we were not allowed anywhere near any flowers (very wise).
Half the team got to work rubbing down the amazing ‘pirate ship’ area in the main garden and gave it a coat of stain to protect it from the weather and rain. We also had the opportunity to see some children using the play equipment in the garden, which is a really well-equipped fun and safe area for them.
The other half of the team (who possibly drew the short straw) were shifting wheelbarrow after wheelbarrow of breeze blocks, bricks, tiles and other building materials. They needed to be moved from a storage area into a skip, to make space for a new storage shed. My hat goes off to this team as they had been given the dirtiest and heaviest task – but frankly, didn’t seem to care and when offered the chance to swap roles at lunchtime, were horrified at the thought of not being able to finish what they had started….
We also stained the shed where they store the outdoor play equipment like the helmets, bikes, scooters and trikes for the children to use in the garden.
In the morning we were very happy that the weather was so amazing and we all had the chance to spend the day outside, then halfway through the day we were wishing is wasn’t quite so hot. An ice-cream (thanks to Joe’s wife, Laura) came at just the right time in the day to keep us all going!
We managed to finish everything – just in time for some amazing homemade cake provided by Naomi House, which was very much appreciated! We also got the chance to meet an amazing young girl who benefits from being able to use this facility – she was interested in what the noisy lot in the garden were up to and it was lovely to meet her!
We left with a great sense of pride in what we had achieved and how well we had worked as a team. We had great fun, but it also really brought it home to all of us how fortunate we are and how helping the children, young adults and families in the way Naomi House & Jacksplace do, is crucial for these families who so need their help.
A very humbling experience…
Thanks for having us Naomi House & Jacksplace!
26/05/2017
Written by: Nicki Smith
