Former Spitalfields barrow boy continues passion for growing vegetables thanks to Hemel care home gardening club

A former Spitalfields barrow boy is continuing his lifelong passion for growing vegetables thanks to his Hemel Hempstead care home’s gardening club.

David Driver, 87, lives at Water Mill House and has harvested his first bumper crop of tomatoes in his patch in Hemel.

David built his vegetable trade from a stall in the London market to a £3 million business and now enjoys tending to his plants.

He said: “I’ve grown vegetables all my life – they’ve been my work and my hobby since my 20s. I’m very grateful that I can continue doing so here.”

David added: “During the war when I was a boy, I used to help my older brother grow all sorts of vegetables. It must have made an impression on me as I started working for a fruit and veg company in Spitalfields Market in the late 1950s.”

In 1960, he took over the business, making it into a successful fruit and bagatelle distributor across the country - turning over £3 million annually.

As imports started to go through Liverpool, rather than London, it became harder to trade nationally and David retired at the age of 59 to travel the world.

David said: “Tomatoes are one of my favourite crops and I’m delighted with what I’ve been able to grow at Water Mill House this year.”

Richard Forsythe, lifestyle co-ordinator at Water Mill House, set up the gardening club in spring this year, as a new outdoor activity for residents to enjoy. He said: “We knew how important growing vegetables was to David and we are thrilled that we can help him to continue that passion.

“He went to the garden centre and bought everything he needed to grow tomatoes. He’s not as mobile as he was so we helped him pot the tomato plants in grow bags and he’s really enjoyed tracking their progress.

Richard added: "David has a ground floor room with its own garden although he grew his tomatoes in the main garden so they’d have more space.”

The gardening club has 10 members, many of who used to have their own gardens and allotments before moving to the home.

Resident Shirley Allen, 96, said: “I’ve always had a garden, the largest was before I got married, it was about an acre in size. I really enjoy the gardening club here - once you stop gardening, you lose the ability to do it, so I always try to keep going."

Resident Hilda Warren, age 90, is the club’s ‘nurse’ with a talent for reviving poorly plants.

Hilda said: "The garden is my lifesaver, I don't know what I would do without it. I love to look after plants that need some TLC and bring them back to health.”

Home manager Victoria Forsythe said the gardening club has been a great success and has become a highlight of the week.

Victoria explained: “It’s very important for residents to be able to continue their hobbies and passions when they come to live with us and we always try to accommodate that.”