I left England for Sydney in September. It was a career move for my husband, and our 20-year-old daughter was feeling adventurous and decided to come, too, However, just before leaving England, my 79-year-old mother suffered a stroke. Being strong and independent, she continues to live at home with the help of social services. But she couldn’t look after the garden. I thought how wonderful it would be if there was an organization offering volunteer help. Friends asked me what I planned to do in Australia, and I told him I would be looking for a volunteer position with a gardening charitable organization. Imagine my surprise when I found just the organization I had been looking for — Easy Care: Gardening (ECG)! There are several reasons why I volunteer for ECG.

Firstly, as a newcomer to Australia I meet many great people who, like me, volunteer some of their time. We cover a large age range, but all love gardens and helping others.

Secondly, through working with ECG I have been lucky enough to explore Sydney’s North Shore that I might not have had the opportunity.to visit otherwise.

Finally, there are all those wonderful people we call “clients”, but are more like friends when we visit them often and tend their gardens. What great people I have met, and the stories they have to tell — the family histories, where they come from and the reasons for immigrating to Australia. I find it a privilege to have access to private gardens which, in many cases, have been the joy of their owners for many years. Each one is individual and reflects the character, needs and the history of each family. Indeed, the gardens reflect the multicultural and historical background of Sydney.

Eric Davis got interested in firefighting when he was in the army. And while much of his job today is related to EMS(emergency medical services)，his first love is fighting fires. "I enjoy the job and working with people. I enjoy firefighting.” he says.

Davis studied in a firefighting school for about three months and took part in classroom work，physical exercise，and hands-on training such as fighting live fires in buildings filled with straw.

Davis says the blindfold(蒙眼的)training prepared him for real fires. "By the time we get to a fire，if it’s going pretty good，the whole house will be filled with smoke. And anytime you get near the fire, you won’t be able to see at all. Zero visibility(能见性)is the same as darkness. The blindfold training works.”

Davis believes his most important duty is making sure he’s prepared for any situation he might come across. To keep physically fit，he runs several times a week and works out. He takes classes to keep up his skills and trains regularly by fighting practice fires. Sometimes this includes cutting holes in roofs, which helps allow smoke to pass out and improves visibility for firefighters inside the building.

Firefighting means plenty of risks. Besides，Davis says·"You have to be willing to help any person you come across.” If someone is trapped，Davis or another firefighter will put himself at risk to get the person out. Davis says he is not afraid when he’s fighting a fire. He does what’s needed.