Blesma Members support each other through COVID-19 lockdown with gardening competition

Blesma Members Janet Riddell and Jack Broughton, who is a high-risk patient for Covid-19, are helping each other keep busy and active during self-isolation by starting a vegetable and sunflower competition.

The two became great friends following a local activity arranged by Blesma Outreach Officer Andy Barlow in the summer of 2019, and earlier this year, Janet supported her fellow Blesma Member with regular visits when former soldier Jack, 30, was in hospital receiving treatment for pneumonia.

“My whole stay at hospital, I could guarantee Jan would come in and be that little boost of morale. It’s a bit honking two months of hospital staring at a wall to come out to stare at another white wall, but that’s where Jan comes in. She is always a golden ray of sunshine,” said Jack, who served in the Princess of Wales Royal Regiment and is a below-knee amputee.

The gardening competition is the latest show of support from Jan, who was eager to keep Jack occupied and his spirits up at his home in Winchester.

Within weeks of his release from hospital, the outbreak of Covid-19 was announced. As a high-risk patient who is also diagnosed with immunosuppressive disease, pneumonitis and on a permanent IV drip after being injured during service, Jack will have to self-isolate for 12 weeks, only leaving the house for medical appointments.

“Jack is still recovering from pneumonia, so I like to ring him every day to check he is ok. Through Blesma, we’ve become quite good friends and we were planning to join the gym together. Gardening is a common interest, so we started the gardening competition to keep busy. The person who grows the most tomatoes and best flowers doesn’t have to buy the coffees at our first gym session,” said Jan, who served in the Royal Navy for over 18 years.

Jack added: “It keeps us busy and outside during this time, but it’s also something my daughter, Rebecca, can get involved with, too. It gets her interacting and learning and bringing structure to her day. Its good fun growing sunflowers as they are massive. Anyone can do it and you don’t even need a garden, just a plant pot. You can get sunflower seeds from bird seed, too. At the end of it, you get a gleaming sunflower that all the butterflies and bees can use.” To aid with Jack’s rehabilitation at this time, Blesma have also funded a rowing machine.