Norfolk garden centre creates county’s own Ground Force as community heroes’ garden transformed
From left, Jenny Brown, Freddie and Thetford Garden Centre operations manager Marie Turner. Picture: Archant - Credit: Archant
There was no sight of Alan Titchmarsh or Tommy Walsh, but a Norfolk couple have undergone their own Ground Force style garden makeover after winning a competition.
The team from Thetford Garden Centre with Jenny Brown and her grandson, Freddie. Picture: Archant - Credit: Archant
Jennifer and Anthony Brown were chosen by Thetford Garden Centre to have the garden makeover after being chosen from hundreds of applicants.
The centre hosted the competition calling on members of the community to submit their heroes who are in need of a garden transformation.
Nominated by their daughter Rebecca, 25, the couple have spent their lives taking care of her sister Rachel, 27, who has cerebral palsy and spasticdisplexa.
Mrs Brown, 52, said: "It was so lovely, such a surprise because we never even thought that Rebecca would do that.
"When we heard that we won I turned to her and said 'why did you do it?' She said it's because you have been so good to Rachel and with us she just wanted to say thank you and give something back."
The family have spent thousands to purchase equipment to help Rachel throughout everyday life.
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All hands were on deck as volunteers from the garden centre set to work turfing and planting a flower bed which had been donated by the store.
Marie Turner, operations manager at Thetford Garden Centre, said: "As a long-standing family run business, we feel it is very important to get involved within the community.
"As spring approached, we felt it would be a lovely gesture to give someone a garden makeover enabling them to enjoy their garden over the coming summer months.
"We were overwhelmed by the amount of entries for the project, especially in the first year of taking on a community project like this."
Out of the hundreds of nominations it was whittled down to just four. Once it was announced that Mr and Mrs Brown had won, multiple visits were made to their garden to plan the works.
Ms Turner added: "We have visited before to take measurements and plan the work we were going to and designed with how the family can benefit in mind."
