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Groundforce style helpers give Trinity Parsons, from Chatham, her dream garden

09:14, 16 July 2018

updated: 08:56, 20 July 2018

This summer is looking like being a real scorcher. And for the first time in years, severely disabled schoolgirl Trinity Parsons is looking forward to being outdoors in the garden with the rest of her family.

Twelve-year-old Trinity is wheelchair-bound as she has a form of muscular dystrophy and cannot talk or eat unaided.

She has now become too heavy for step-mum Kirsty Selves to carry up the steep garden, which is on 10 levels at their Chatham home.

From left, Kirsty Selves with her son Louie, two, centre with Ilona Verba, Brencer Babrian, Sophie Opavszky, Imre Babrian and Paul Cartwright, two teams from Allington and Newington "Hire a Hubby" franchise helping to build decking for Trinity the disabled daughter of Kirsty, who was at school while the teams did the garden in the Chatham area. Picture by: John Westhrop. (2891711)
From left, Kirsty Selves with her son Louie, two, centre with Ilona Verba, Brencer Babrian, Sophie Opavszky, Imre Babrian and Paul Cartwright, two teams from Allington and Newington "Hire a Hubby" franchise helping to build decking for Trinity the disabled daughter of Kirsty, who was at school while the teams did the garden in the Chatham area. Picture by: John Westhrop. (2891711)

But a team of Groundforce-style volunteers have come to the rescue offering their services for free - and in two days they transformed an area for Trinity to enjoy.

Instead of staying inside while her brothers and sisters ate and played in the sunshine, she is now able to be with them.

It’s changed the family’s lives.

Kirsty, 32, a full-time carer, said: “What they have done is amazing and has made a massive difference to all of us, especially Trinity who loves being outside.

“It is also good for well-being as sensory is essential to her stimulation.

Before the makeover (2905214)
Before the makeover (2905214)

“We could not have afforded to do this ourselves for probably at least two years.”

The family were nominated by friends for a “Magical Garden Makeover” in a competition organised by online market place for homeowners MyBuilder.com in conjunction with Dobbies garden centres.

Although they were unsuccessful, the organisers thought they were a worthy cause and put out a plea to their DIY franchise, Hire A Hubby.

Garden makeover team with Trinity and brothers Louie,two(left) and Arthur,four (2905275)
Garden makeover team with Trinity and brothers Louie,two(left) and Arthur,four (2905275)

Teams from Allington and Newington descended on their home in Concord Avenue on the Davis Estate, and got to work with the decking.

Beforehand, dad Lee Parsons, 44, a landscape gardener, cleared grass, shrubs and weeds and filled in a fish pond.

He was helped by friends and relatives, including his dad Ray Parsons, 70, and Trinity’s step-sister Jaylee Clark.

Paul Cartwright, from Hire A Hubby, said: “We saw the job on the website and it was easy to see they needed help. So we thought why not?

“It’s only two days of our week and it was very rewarding to be a part of.”

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