A basic human need
Margaret from Birmingham writes about what it feels like to the help of GoodGym runners on a mission
October 16, 2019
GoodGym members help older people in cities across the UK with basic household and garden tasks. Margaret from Birmingham writes about how getting some help with her garden made her feel.
I live alone and I have health problems and I’ve got a large garden in a council house. The world is too much for me and I was so depressed. I’ve had three minor strokes.
I’ve never been a person to ask for help.
I don’t like messy gardens. My husband worked for 15 years to make it easy to use. It’s all slabbed and has raised beds and things. Now it’s overgrown so quickly and so much needed doing.
I like bushes and plants. It’s good for my health. I have multiple health problems and get tired. I don’t want to go out there when it’s messy.
I got put in touch with Age Concern and they helped. I would never of dreamed of asking for help I would have just stayed depressed. They put me in touch with GoodGym.
[The runners were] absolutely gorgeous people they were so willing to help and lovely and cheerful.
You imagine, you live on your own, you’re depressed and you’ve suddenly got some lovely people come and you can talk and chat and laugh. Of course you enjoy it, it was great. It looked so much better.
This is what is needed. These are things that make you happy. All the money doesn’t make you happy. You can’t get happy through a £20 note. You get happy from having the love of someone, from my husband, people in your life that care and that you can care for. Not false images. Years ago communities had that. If there’s a lady down the road she wasn’t left alone. The neighbours would have helped.
You have to want this, and realise there are lots of people suffering with mental health because we don’t have community. GoodGym is one way, it lets people know that people care.
It shows humanity and care which is lacking.
It’s a basic human need. There aren’t many people that don’t need other people.
What do we need to be happy? -food, warmth and love. We were put on the earth to look after it and each other. What better feeling is there than doing that?
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-Get involved with one of our group runs
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