My name is John Brown and I am a service user at House of St Barnabus in Soho. I have been involved there for about 2 years now. Pippa Bagnall who is in charge of the House of St Barnabus has been very good to me. I had nothing and now I have my own flat and am able to work at the House of St Barnabus. It is a beautiful but very complex building. I work in the garden and generally do odd jobs about the place. I probably know its nooks and crannies better than any of the staff. I love being out in the fresh air. I was down at the Key Garden last week watering the Key and taking plants off the lorries.
I had to get up early today as I found out yesterday that I had been chosen to be interviewed by Alan Titchmarsh for a programme on the BBC tonight. I came with Pippa. It was just hilarious. Alan swore when he came up to meet me on camera and I laughed out loud because we both knew he had got my name wrong. He called me John Smith, saying he had it on his brain! This was already his second take as during the first one his mobile started ringing! I was just part of a bigger interview with Dean, the guy who wrote the poetry and Paul Stone, who designed the garden. Alan was so friendly, he made it very easy for me to answer his questions about the role I had played in creating the garden.
Now I am a bit worried about what my friends in Soho will think about my performance. I am going to try to stop them watching it. Although it isn’t actually the first time I have been on TV. About 50 years ago I starred on Dixon of Dock Green that they were filming near where I lived! I played an extra, a street urchin, I think.
John Brown – House of St Barnabus, Soho
Well Done John ….. All of us at Graham Hse we be watching tonight !! Well Done to all at The Key Garden….!!