Stephen Jalland, a 57-year-old from March, Cambridgeshire, has been providing free garden clearance services to individuals struggling with overgrown outdoor spaces. He launched his "free mows" service on Facebook in June.
Jalland's initiative began after he saw a social media post criticising a messy garden. His initial reaction was to offer to cut the grass for free, leading to an outpouring of requests for help.
Since then, Jalland has cleared gardens for approximately a dozen people, often completing closer to three clearances per week. He discovered that behind many overgrown gardens were owners facing various personal challenges, including ill health, financial difficulties, and mental health concerns.
One recipient, Anita Thursby, 54, expressed how Jalland's help removed a significant source of worry and shame regarding her 2-metre-high brambles. She had stopped inviting friends over and feared a complaint from her housing association.