On a wet and miserable January morning, the team welcomed Alan Seaman to his inaugural Muscles mission deep in the East Suffolk countryside at Sudbourne. The inclement weather persisted in February when 8 volunteers cleared a garden at Martlesham Heath, and attempted to conquer a garden in Westerfield Road, Ipswich. This project was subsequently completed in mid June – and even then the weather was unseasonal, with a mix of hail, rain and wind !! Well done everyone.
By mid March the weather improved for a three stage project at a Care Home in central Ipswich. Excavating and constructing a concrete wheelchair accessible walkway to a newly erected Beach Hut provides residents and staff ( especially those with dementia) with a focal point and helps to trigger memories of happy days at the seaside.
Steve led the team that provided a legacy of goodwill at Handford House. However, during the project he demonstrated ‘itchy man’ syndrome, which appeared to affect all the team members. He was subsequently awarded the ‘Bernie Morgan medal of valour’ as a permanent cure for his ailment.
Summer 2011
June was one of busiest months ever for volunteers from the UK team, and enabled them to celebrate another Muscles milestone. – the total of voluntarty hours for all the teams exceeded 9,000. Helping to celebrate at a BBQ held at Phil and Mel’s home was Denver based, Master Magician ( and US Muscles team member), Chris Manos. However, the Mad Magic man was totally surprised when Felixstowe based Magician David J Marks also arrived. The subsequent impromptu magic show was amazing.
Mid summer and the Cheshire based team help paint, platerboard and floor a Pilates studio in Warrington, benefiting three registered charities and giving the volunteers a good work out before the paying customers arrived.
At the same time, the Suffolk based team were invited by Reverend John Casselton and his wife Midge to transform their Ipswich garden, (including replacing 42 feet of fencing). The pictures below show the (overgrown) situation in November 2010 and the same area after the team completed their work in July 2011.
Muscles for Charity 