It’s not just about the numbers and balancing the books for Andy Penfold. When his friend Ray Edwards MBE, patron of the Charity Limbcare said that he was planning to build a garden at the Hampton Court Flower Show, that would depict the journey that amputees go through and the help that Limbcare can offer, Andy said “count me in”.
This has become a family affair as Glenda, Andy’s wife, also took annual leave to help as well their son George who works with the Landscape Gardener David Sutton of the Garden Concierge Limited who has been tasked with building the garden. Six days of digging, lifting, moving 4 tons of pebbles and stones to make a pond, making a feature fence on 2 sides of the plot, laying a porcelain patio (which meant shovelling stone and cement into the cement mixer to make “muck” to lay the tiles) and cement in the posts and watering the plants that arrived 2 days early and all in the heatwave.
Andy commented:
“Sometimes it is not about putting your hand in your pocket to help, it is about giving time and effort. The past six days have been hard graft, but we have achieved something truly wonderful and emotional.
The camaraderie has been amazing with able-bodied and limb-impaired people getting stuck in. It has been a humbling experience”
What is Limbcare?
Limbcare is an amazing charity that offers hope, advice and peer support to the limb impaired and those affected around them. It was founded in 2011 by Ray Edwards MBE, the UK’s longest-surviving quadruple amputee. Ray lost four limbs to septicaemia in 1987, but has gone on to lead an inspiring life – writing books, climbing Kilimanjaro, giving inspirational talks, and founding Limbcare.
Why a garden?
The Journey Garden is a living 3-D representation of the journey that amputees move through, from the trauma of the loss of their limb, to the help and support they get from Limbcare. As Limbcare explain: “The bridge over the pebble stream represents the amputee reaching out to the charity and receiving a helping hand. The planting is designed to offer a human, calming space where the power of nature to heal is manifest.” The garden design has been created by Edward Mairis, who won a Bronze medal at last year’s Flower Show. Here’s the plan:
Click here to sponsor a plant in Limbcare’s Journey Garden.
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