If you're here you'll remember my sister Lucy, a kind, funny, witty (and occasionally a bit ditzy) all-round good egg, who loved gardening almost as much as she loved food.

Lucy died just before she turned 36, and as I overtake my big sister in age I wanted to help do a bit of good for a cause she supported.

Lucy volunteered at Beyond The Wall at Thornham Walled Gardens in 2022, a charity working with adults with additional needs such as a learning disability, autism or a mental health difficulty. (Although I imagine she spent most of her time there plotting how she could build her own walled garden!)

Beyond the Wall are trying to raise funds to rebuild their glasshouses. Under cover, members sow seeds, grow plants, propagate cuttings and care for living things regardless of the weather. These activities support physical health, mental wellbeing, confidence and a strong sense of purpose. The routine and structure of the glasshouses help individuals develop skills such as teamwork, responsibility and patience, building self-esteem that often carries beyond the garden walls.

I was going to donate what I thought Lucy would have spent on my birthday present, but as the most skilled charity shop bargain hunter I've ever known, that could have been a grand total of £3.75 some years, so I might stretch to a little more!

If you're able to donate too I know Beyond the Wall would be incredibly grateful and it means continuing a little bit of the good Lucy did.

Thank you!!