Hail doesn’t stop MFC!

“It’s totally amazing, you’ve absolutely transformed it!”

10 volunteers from the UK team descended on a rural Campsea Ashe garden to transform a garden corner into a gated vegetable patch.

Despite some very fickle weather of hail, wind and sun, the team displayed the usual productive spirit.

The team set about weeding & clearing the old patches, constructing an archway/ trellis & chicken wire fencing around the area.

Work also completed included cutting back dead branches on an apple tree, construction of a ‘chicken door’ to allow poultry access to the patch, and consumption of delicious sausage/bacon rolls.

The activity resulted in a donation to Secret World Wildlife Rescue Charity.

Since the first job, Adam returned alone to put together a new chicken house and patio for their inflatable hot tub.

 

Muscles project number – 415
Overall total of voluntary hours – 15,682

The mid-week team do battle with barnacles

On a pleasant morning, the midweek team visited the beach at Ramsholt, Suffolk where retired skipper Richard Clarke enlisted muscles assistance to scrub and anti foul the hull of his boat ‘Will Laude’ and dory used as a tender.

The hamlet of Ramsholt sits alongside the river Deben and the task involved initially scrubbing both boats as the tide ebbed to reveal the undersides.

Working within the shadow of the Ramsholt Arms Pub provided an agreeable lunchtime retreat to allow the boats to dry out and a number of ‘true’ stories to be shared amongst the friends.

The afternoon saw an application of antifoul paint to the vessels to finish a good days work that shall result in a donation to the Aldeburgh lifeboat.

The team of Nick, Adam, Ed, Richard, Alan, Clive, and Kev appear within the photos with old friend Colin Booker and skipper Richard Clarke.

Muscles project number – 414
Overall total of voluntary hours – 15,632

A Great Turnout – Patio Laying in Martlesham

A team of 13 volunteers descended on a Martlesham garden, despite drizzly weather, to lay a patio.

After assessing the job, the team donned the usual safety equipment and divided into groups to prepare the area and materials.

Sub-teams were created were formed to split the tasks of preparation of the ground, layout design & cutting of paving slabs, mixing cement (in Lady Sarah), and pointing/ shingle dressing to finish.

 

A very dusty Adam

This job was in benefit of Ipswich Hospital Baby Bereavement Group.

Following completion of the patio job, a small team went for a quick mate’s job of some moderate tree surgery in Bernie’s garden.

Muscles project number – 412                                                                                                        Total voluntary hours – 15,582

 

 

Muscles for Charity’s Auction Lot

Thanks for visiting the Muscles for Charity website. For more information on our charity auction lots, please watch the video below.

Muscles for Charity will offer the winning bidder the opportunity to complete a project for them. For example -constructing a fence or shed, making over a garden, laying paving slabs, clearing out a garage – the team will leave you with a smile on your face.

Please feel free to browse this website for examples of previous jobs for inspiration and ideas on what we could achieve in your garden, house or shed. If you have any queries about the suitability of the job you have in mind please email in to nickbentley1@btinternet.com.

MFC turn to bank job in support of good cause.

At short notice, the call went out to assemble a 5-man team of shady characters.

The team got a tip-off that an Ipswich branch of the Royal Bank of Scotland was closing down the following Monday, giving them a one-day window to get their hands on a self-contained interview pod for our friends at Inspire Suffolk.

The interview pod was disassembled and loaded into the getaway vehicle –  Inspire provided their minibus to transport the goods from the bank, back to their headquarters

Once clear of the bank, the team reassembled the pod at Inspire HQ, which has since been very useful to Inspire by making better use of their office facilities.

An example of Inspire Suffolk’s great work can be found through the video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IdbIpoBiyck

Muscles project number – 410                                                                                                        Total voluntary hours – 15,520

Festive greetings as Muscles for Charity enters its 21st year.

This festive season marks the conclusion of the twentieth year of Muscles for Charity activity, and the beginning of the twenty first.  During that time our award winning, volunteer activity has topped 15,500 hours, (spread across ten different countries), and generated funding and awareness for 130 registered charities or non profits.

Underpinning everything is an outstanding ability to combine (international) friendship, hard work and fun as we assist people and organisations without handling any money.

Thank you for your contribution to the overall success.

During 2018 that success was reflected when Belgian team leader Johan Rens, and his wife Else, were invited by the Prior of Tongerlo Abbey to join them on 6th June to celebrate the feast of St Norbertus and the anniversary of its founding in 1128.

Johan describes the event, “What a special day it was! After a service, in Latin, we followed Brother Gabriel and the brotherhood to their private dining room. Try to imagine the most beautiful painted room, a long festive table on which was served a five course meal with wine and liquors. In the best possible atmosphere.  After that the Prior personally thanked Muscles for Charity for all the hard work, commitment, the difference they made, and the friendship”

As we celebrate and step into another New Year, it is a pleasure to acknowledge the contribution of the sons and daughters of volunteers and look forward to the continuing success of Muscles for Charity.

 

Colossal Yard Clearance marks final job of 2018 (UK)

After weather scares delayed the final job of the year, 7 volunteers set about transforming the overgrown backyard of Emma’s Florists last Saturday morning.

The aim of the job was to remove enough vegetation so that the garden could be used as storage space and car parking for Emma’s Florists.

To combat the vast amount of greenery the team utilised an industrial shredder, without which the provided skip would have been full very quickly.

The work enabled the back gates to the yard to be closed for the first time in long while, hopefully putting a stop to the frequent occurrence of fly-tipping.

 

Grateful words from Emma:
“I just wanted to thank the team for their work in the backyard, it looks amazing!”

The job benefited Inspire Suffolk, the second job for the great charity in the past few weeks – both sourced from their charity auction last month.

A Very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to all!

 

Muscles project number – 409                                                                                                        Total voluntary hours – 15,500

Muscles the movie ! – celebrating 20 years of Muscles for Charity.

To celebrate the twenty years since Muscles for Charity was formed, a movie has been made from the many photos that record the fun, friendship and camaraderie displayed by our team in working hard to complete the many and varied projects that have generated donations to over 130 registered charities and non profits, whilst benefiting our many grateful customers.

Please click on the link (below) to view the movie which, it is hoped, reflects the very essence of Muscles.

Hint – turn up your volume, the movie is packed with great music !

Click to View the Video

Thank you for being an important part of Muscles for Charity.

 

A Job Well Done in Trimley St Mary (UK)

On an overcast but dry Suffolk Saturday morning at Trimley St Mary, seven MFC volunteers responded to a successful bid at the recent ‘Inspire Suffolk’ Charity Auction.

In a great tie up, MFC donated their services to Inspire Suffolk’s annual Charity Auction as a prize, resulting in Kevin and Claire making a sizable bid to secure their services.

The garden clearance request included the dismantling of a garden shed, which was disposed of into a large skip on site.

The regular MFC team greeted new volunteer Clive Benneworth on his first job – a warm welcome to Clive.

The job was completed with the usual humor and camaraderie.

Missing from the below is Mr Boswell, who was joining the team and Claire in their catalog poses from behind the camera.

Muscles project number – 408                                                                                                           Total voluntary hours – 15,475

“You always make such a difference to the garden when you come” – volunteers transform garden.

On a beautiful autumnal Saturday in Sudborne 8 volunteers descended on the annual garden maintenance job for Kate.

The team tackled the usual trimming of hedges and trees in the front and back garden but didn’t shy from the challenge of removing the brick flower bed from the front garden in order to transform it into a much tidier bed of stones.

The team was rewarded with slices of Kate’s world famous Lemon Drizzle cake.

This job resulted in donations for the Woodbridge Soldiers Fund, Royal British Legion, Ipswich Hospital Cancer Information Unit, and a local young man raising money to join an expedition to Africa.

In addition to this, Adam and Richard managed to help a lost passer-by in finding her accommodation. The kind action prompted a donation to British Heart Foundation!

Muscles project number – 407                                                                                                           Total voluntary hours – 15,463