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Written by Sebastian Hamilton
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Mar 09, 2008 at 02:54 PM |
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The last day of term for King’s School Gloucester before the summer holidays. For me it was also the last day of 5th form and as I left I knew that next time I entered the school I would do so as a Sixth former. Some things would be new and surprising, but some things were already arranged.
I knew, for instance, that on Monday afternoons I would be playing golf, as I had done for the previous year. However as I left the school for the last time that year one of the teachers, Miss Barber, ran up to me with a proposition.
During 4th form (year 10) I had made a spoof Harry Potter film for charity, using pupils and staff from the school. It had been a huge success, raising over £750. Miss Barber had seen it herself, and wondered if I would be interested in making a very different video upon my return to King’s after summer.
She would be taking Community Service on Monday afternoons and wondered if I would make a video diary of the garden they she would be building. I was reluctant to give up golf, but I couldn’t really say no. After all, it would only be for a term. I roped my friend Harvey in and we were then set for building a garden – only for a term though.
We could never have imagined the impact that our work at that garden would make on us.
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Last Updated ( Mar 09, 2008 at 03:27 PM )
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Written by Sebastian Hamilton
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Mar 09, 2008 at 02:53 PM |
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We arrived on our first visit to be greeted by a completely overgrown jungle! Weeds grew as tall as us, and tree trunks sprouted from the ground in every direction.
To put it plainly – we knew that we had our work cut out! However when we were invited inside for a look around the Nursery we all instantly recognised that the garden was something we had to fix – even if it killed us!
The work the Nursery did was incredible, and we had to help them. We were astounded by how little they had to run on, and how much they relied on donations.
Our minds were made up and there was no turning back from that point onwards…
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Last Updated ( Mar 09, 2008 at 03:26 PM )
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Written by Sebastian Hamilton
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Mar 09, 2008 at 02:53 PM |
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Well what a change! Bovis had been in and everything was so very different. The weeds were gone and you could finally see from one end of the garden to the other! It still wasn’t finished however, and we eagerly awaited our return to see what would happen next!
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Last Updated ( Mar 09, 2008 at 08:31 PM )
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Written by Sebastian Hamilton
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Mar 09, 2008 at 02:53 PM |
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We were greeted in week 3 by a beautiful path snaking its way along the garden. The end of it had also been closed off from the street and opened up to the back yard of the Nursery, allowing much more privacy.
How things had changed! It was now almost time for us to really get stuck in, just one more change to go…
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Last Updated ( Mar 09, 2008 at 08:31 PM )
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Written by Sebastian Hamilton
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Mar 09, 2008 at 02:50 PM |
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Week 5 was the official opening, and to celebrate many officials and important people from the hospital came to see our work – and Jilly Cooper herself opened it officially, due to her close connections with Gloucester hospital. With interviews from the local radio and many people coming up to speak to us we felt like real celebrities.
This was also the week when my video was shown to the crowds, and I was very pleased with the reception.
From this point on our work was clear – to keep the garden going strong and to build it up too. We were all touched and pleased when a Mother of a child who visits the Nursery explained what it would mean to them and what a difference it would make. We were really doing something to help the community, and that made everything worthwhile.
At this point I had always planned to give up the garden, but now I knew that I simply couldn’t. I was involved with something extremely special and I just couldn’t ignore it.
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Last Updated ( Mar 09, 2008 at 08:31 PM )
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Written by Sebastian Hamilton
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Mar 09, 2008 at 02:50 PM |
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From then on we still went along each week, planting and tending to the garden in general.
Everything was coming along really well and we then took our Christmas break.
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Last Updated ( Mar 09, 2008 at 08:31 PM )
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Written by Sebastian Hamilton
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Mar 09, 2008 at 02:49 PM |
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The first few weeks upon our return had to be cancelled due to illness, rain, and other factors. However whenever we could get into the garden we did and we were thrilled to find that a great new slide had been installed for the children and the wall that the girls had been painting was finished.
The garden was also thriving, and we planted many bulbs to brighten it up even more. Within a week they were sprouting and the whole place looked more colourful than we had ever seen it.
And so ends the history of the garden. However no garden ever has an ‘end’, and from now on you can read the blog for weekly updates from myself, and from other people from time to time. I hope you’ve enjoyed reading about the work we have done and I hope you’ll agree that it’s been an incredibly worthwhile cause.
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Last Updated ( Mar 09, 2008 at 08:32 PM )
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History of the garden 
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