Lawn and order
Liverpool is helping to keep its neighbourhoods in tip top condition.
A free gardening service is offering fantastic support to Liverpool residents who are unable to look after their lawns and flower beds.
The new service will help older people and disabled people with by mowing their lawns, pruning, weeding and a range of other horticultural tasks – all for free.
Councillor Marilyn Fielding, Liverpool’s executive member for Safer, Stronger Communities, said: “This is a great scheme that will help some of the city’s older residents get jobs in the garden done where they can’t do it themselves.
“It will help keep all our neighbourhoods looking good and will be welcome relief to a number of residents who love being outdoors but are unable to regularly maintain their gardens.
“I’m sure it will prove really popular and I’m proud of the way our staff are looking at new ways of making our people’s lives that little bit easier.”
The initiative was thought up by Liverpool City Council’s housing team in conjunction with Local Solutions and housing associations to help older people continue to live independently in their own homes. It is available to everyone over 60 regardless of whether people are homeowners or living in rented accommodation.
Gardener ‘Kevin Digney’, who works for Local Solutions said: “Everybody who uses the service seems to be made up. We have had very good feedback and know it’s working by all the thanks we are getting.”
Anyone wanting to book a job in the North of the city should contact Arena on 261 0301 and to book a job in the South of the city contact Local Solutions on 0800-085 1987. If an officer is not available then please leave your name, address and phone number and they will call back.
The initiative can also provide ‘one off’ clear ups where a garden has become so overgrown that residents are unable to tend it.
The service follows on from the success of the city council’s Handyman scheme launched in 2006.
