Volunteer who is ‘not a gardener’ hangs up the secateurs after 15 years
A self confessed ‘non gardener’ has hung up the secateurs after 15 years volunteering with a gardening group in an award winning park.
Colin Thompson, 82, from Priorslee, first joined The Friends of Telford Town Park (FOTTP) in 2010 – and was on hand just three days after meeting them.
But the father-of-two and grandad-of-four insists he’s never really got his hands dirty and has only made a ‘small contribution’.
Colin said: “I had never heard of the Friends before I met them at their stand at Dawley Day, I joined on the spot and three days later I was helping lay the path material at the Crannog.
“But I’ve never really got my hands dirty much, I did some hedge laying and trimming of the overgrowth, but I was mainly a support role and did admin jobs.
“I have really enjoyed my time with the Friends and have seen it transform over the years, it’s still full of enthusiastic local amateurs, but it has gradually become more organised and professional with major support from local companies, enabling the group to do even more projects that make a real difference.
“New people come and go and it’s great to have new ideas – now is the time for another generation to come along and build on what’s been built in the past.”
Colin served as Vice Chairman for many of the 15 years he was involved with the Friends, as well as a brief spell as Chairman.
He has been webmaster, running the website, ran membership systems, ran the booking systems and fundraising collection for the annual Santa Run, and also organised the Junior Explorer sessions, when up to 50 children would take part in a treasure hunt activity on a Saturday morning.
Colin worked for the Inland Revenue for over 30 years and spent most of his
career in the south of England, before being transferred to Telford in the 1980s to manage the department’s IT development centre.
Living initially in Shifnal and working in the Telford town centre, he soon discovered theTown Park and it became a favourite walking area for himself and his dog Barney.
“In terms of size but also variety, from small gardens to wide open spaces, I just thought it was amazing,” he said.
“It was a big reason for joining the Friends, because I just love the Park.”
He was presented with an engraved tankard as a thank you by the Friends’ and said it was a ‘lovely surprise’, insisting that it was a surprise they gave him ‘anything at all’, as he believes he’s made ‘only a small contribution’ to the group.
But former chairman, Chris Pettman, who was at the helm for 18 years and worked very closely with Colin, disagreed.
He said: “Colin is far too modest, I could not have achieved half of what I did whilst Chairman without him, right from joining he got stuck in.
“As well as being a leading light with both the Ironbridge Lions and Sightsavers he became a tower of strength for the Friends and I wish him well for the future.”
Current Chairman Adrian Smith said Colin was a vital figure in the group and will be missed much.
He said: “We are of course sad to see Colin go, but also very grateful for the work he has done for the Friends over the years.
“He has been a great support in so many ways and also a wonderful friend to many.”
There are 40 members of FOTTP and gardening sessions are held each week on a Wednesday morning and once a month on a Saturday morning as well.
To keep up to date with their work follow their Facebook page or visit their website www.friendsoftelfordtownpark.org.
You can also support them by signing up to the TWINCL lottery to help raise money for the work they do. Anyone can do this by visiting www.twincl.co.uk and choosing FOTTP as the cause to support.
