Faulty gas meter leads to revamped vegetable patch

Woman grateful after engineers clear her overgrown garden

Gas engineers got stuck in to clear an overgrown garden through their company’s community scheme.

The SGN workmen from the Ashford depot first saw the garden when they were called to Ann Graves’ property in Snodland to check a faulty gas meter.

Mrs Graves revealed she was a keen gardener, but has been unable to get out into the garden as her husband is seriously ill.

So the company sent a team of four to spend a full day in the garden, clearing weeds which had grown to more than six feet and digging soil to allow for planting. They also put up two polytunnels and a cloche for Mrs Graves to grow vegetables.

Team manager Simon Pott said: “While we were chatting it became clear that Mrs Graves was a keen gardener but she hadn’t been able to get out in the garden lately.

“Our company runs a community scheme in which everyone Ann Graves with SGN workers Gary Brown, Martyn Redhead, Ken Kennedy and Simon Pott who restored her garden as part of a community scheme is encouraged to spend one day every year on company time making a difference in their local community. We couldn’t think of a better use of our time.”

Following the transformation, Mrs Graves said : “It’s unbelievable what they managed to do in the time. They completely cleared the garden. They were polite and kind and they left the garden spotless.

“It used to be packed with vegetables, I never bought any from the supermarket.

“When my husband was first diagnosed, I used to be able to leave him watching television and go in the garden for a while, but now he can’t be left at all.

“We had a carer in for a few hours this week, so she sat with my husband and I’ve been able to do some planting.

“The polytunnels are now full of tomato plants and I’ve got cucumbers and peppers in the greenhouse.

“Being able to get out in the garden feels like a weight has been lifted off me. I’m incredibly grateful to the team.”

‘The polytunnels are now full of tomato plants and I’ve got cucumbers and peppers in the greenhouse’