Muscles Step Up for Kirkland House Clearance

July 2022, and the US Muscles team were invited to assist a Kirkland senior citizen clear the contents of his home ahead of contractors demolishing the property.

July 2022, and the US Muscles team were invited to assist a Kirkland senior citizen clear the contents of his home ahead of contractors demolishing the property.   Leading the Muscles team, Tricia and Steve Watson, organized, fed and watered the volunteers, including family members, over a three day period in blazing temperatures.

The MFC team, (from left to right) consisted of Joie Worthen, Glenna Trout, Judy Shannon, Tricia Watson, John Bishop, Steve Watson, Frank Soto and Amy Soto.   Special appreciation to Tricia for organising and supplying refreshments during the extended weekend.

NB = over three days the total number of hours for the MFC team was 129 hours.

John, the owner of the property was surprised and delighted with the teams efforts on his, and the families behalf.

Muscles project number – 442

Total voluntary hours – 17154

Swift Garden Clearance

On 1 July 2022, two Muscles volunteers, Bernie and Phil, spent a sunny morning helping to clear unwanted items from the rear garden of an Ipswich house.

The customer was recently widowed and had been trying unsuccessfully for weeks to get someone to help with the job. Once again, Bernie’s truck came into its own and the load was soon transferred to the local recycling centre.

Donation to be made to Cancer Relief.

Muscles project number – 441

Total voluntary hours – 17025

UK Team Mates Job (part 2) – Lady Sarah’s

The team returned to Lady Sarah’s to complete a couple of jobs on a warm June morning.

Alan’s brewing shed needed a re-roof which Clive and ‘new boy’ Mark set about while Bernie used his craftsmanship on the back door, leaving Kev, Ian and Nick to replace a section of fencing.

With great teamwork and plenty of banter the jobs got ticked off leaving Sarah extremely grateful of the results.

Muscles project number – 440

Total voluntary hours – 17021

Muscles Charity Trellis Repair

Flattened Felixstowe Trellis provided new support. 

Storms Dudley and Eunice swept across the UK in quick succession in February and Caroline’s garden trellis found itself victim to the severe high winds near the coast at Felixstowe. 

Four Muscles team members had the thorny job of reinstating a flattened rose covered trellis against new posts.

The ground was kind to the team who dug and set three new posts and supports.

Once raised and fixed in position the team turned to cleaning and painting the decking which the trellis bordered.

The end result looked great and the lovely relaxing space was once again available for Caroline to enjoy.

“Thank you so much, I can’t tell you how much I appreciate all your work. All best wishes to you all. It really is such a generous idea to have people donate to charity for your work”

Caroline

The Muscles work benefitted the Headway Charity as chosen by Caroline.

Muscles project number – 439

Total voluntary hours – 16985

MFC Mister Shifters Make Light Work of Furniture Disposal

The morning of Friday 20 May 2022 saw a small team of MFC volunteers working in support of the Home Start in Suffolk organisation https://www.homestartinsuffolk.org/

The team attended the home of a young mum in Felixstowe and cleared away 3 vehicle-loads of unwanted furniture.

Bernie, Ian, Nick and Phil completed the job within an hour, leaving plenty of time for pre-lunch tea and sausage rolls at the newly-opened ’The Kitchen’ cafe on the seafront.

Muscles project number – 438

Total voluntary hours – 16969

Storm Ravaged Felixstowe Fence gets Muscles Treatment

Before

The Muscles team arrived to a waiting plate of biscuits and refreshments, before swiftly pulling down the old fence at the job in Felixstowe.

Ready for the dump!

After disposing of the old fence, the team split into two squads to focus on putting up the featherboard panels and replacing three old posts for the new gate.

Some of the old posts were only 4 inches deep, meaning the team had to dig down 2ft through layers of cement and clay to make sure the new posts would last longer than their predecessors.

The job was completed in just under 6 hours, with the usual amount of muscles banter and camaraderie in some lovely weather. In addition to the fencing, Sarah made sure the garden was also looked after and not damaged in the process.

After

Anne, the recipient of the job, had this to say about the team:

“Thank you to Muscles For Charity for stepping up to replacing my old fence.
It’s made the garden feel much fresher and given it a new sense of security!
The team was very professional and friendly throughout!”

A donation was made to St Elizabeth’s Hospice.

A job well done!

Muscles project number – 437
Total voluntary hours – 16,965

Many hands make Light work!

The Muscles UK Team were tasked by the Mayor of Felixstowe Mark Jepson with a landscaping task at a primary school in Langer Road Felixstowe.
The job was clearing an area of old wood and removing to a skip for disposal. The ‘Felixstowe Men’s Shed’,  http://fms.onesuffolk.net, had pre made six large and heavy wooden raised planters which were transported to the site that morning along with several tons of top soil and loose decorative bark.

The muscles team was ten strong, including Kieron which made three generations of Grews. The team was joined by others to clear and level the site. Ron had the plan and measured out where the wooden planters were to be positioned.  
The levelling and wheelbarrowing was frantic filling topsoil in the planters and carrying the excess old surface to the end where it was being stacked in a new raised area.

Later in the morning a dozen men from the regiment at Woodbridge joined the team and the work rate accelerated again. Ground levelled, planters in place and filled, decorative bark laid, site generally tidied we finished early at about 11:30am 

Many hands did make work and the result was impressive. Another 30 hours of Muscles work completed. 

Muscles project number – 436
Total voluntary hours – 16,923

UK Muscles Mates Job

Ahead of the incoming storm Arwen, the UK team jumped at the chance to help ‘Lady’ Sarah with a garden clear up.

With Alan watching over the team, the inclement weather held off for the ten volunteers who attended to trees, hedges and cutting up firewood.

Vera was on-hand to transport the green waste to the local dump over two trips.

Sarah is very thankful for the job and has sent us the following message:
“A Christmas Muscles miracle took place today at Brook Bottom Brewery.
Wow what a speedy transformation these wonderful gentleman achieved in only three hours despite the rain.
They quickly donned their all weather gear and with good humour and great kindness proceeded to chop, saw and totally tidy the complete garden from back to front!
you are truly amazing muscles men, thank you so so much.
You have no idea how thrilled we are with the clear up. Now the garden can go to bed for the winter. Alan would have been so pleased.
Sending you all much love and a humungous thank you!”

The team will all raise a toast to Alan as they sample some of his last brew.
Cheers Alan!

Muscles project number – 435
Total voluntary hours – 16,893

UK Muscles Clear Garden for Long-Time Supporter

During what proved to be an unseasonably mild mid-November Saturday morning, seven Muscles volunteers returned to Sudbourne, Suffolk, UK, to complete a garden clearance and gatepost replacement task at the home of long-time MFC supporter, Kate.

After a total of 30 hours labour the volunteers had removed the old gatepost (which the original fitter had intended NEVER to be replaced!), fitted a replacement, poured and spread new shingle, pruned several trees, clipped several hedges, cleared gutters, removed plant growth from the side of the bungalow, planted snowdrops and daffodils for the Spring, demolished two lemon drizzle cakes and drank several cups of tea and coffee, before having to admit defeat by not finishing all of the meatball pasta and cheesecake that Kate had so liberally provided for lunch.

The outcome was a winter-ready garden and, again thanks to Kate’s generosity, donations being made to the Alzheimers Society, Cancer Research UK and The Royal British Legion.

Muscles project number – 434
Total voluntary hours – 16,863

North American Muscles for Charity team supporting decorated 98 year old WW2 veteran, Dick Nelms.

During 1944, Richard A Nelms, then aged 21 years, completed the maximum number of 35 missions over Nazi occupied Europe piloting a B17 bomber manufactured in Seattle, USA.

Nowadays, Dick volunteers at the Museum of Flight in Seattle, standing beside a B17, captivating members of the public with explanations of his role and responsibility during World War 2.

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During 1944, Dick flew all his 35 missions from RAF Rattlesden, Suffolk In 2017, Muscles for Charity volunteers from Suffolk met Dick at the Mercer Island Community Centre, near Seattle..

Dicks B17 bomber in World War 2 flew at a top speed 317mph, and cruised at 200mph with a 4,000lb bomb load. In the photograph below – 77 years later – Dick co-piloted an Executive jet from Chicago to Washington DC flying at 550mph at 41,000 feet.

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Nowadays people from all over the world have their photographs taken with Dick at the Museum of Flight. This couple journeyed from Seville, Spain. Although he remains extremely sharp and thoroughly enjoys meeting people and reminding them of life during a World War, his eyesight is deteriorating, and he is not supposed to drive. Muscles for Charity volunteers now fulfill this role on a weekly five-hour basis, and Dick makes plans for his 100th birthday.