Entrepreneur on the right path thanks to junction 10 road workers
A disabled man who runs his own artificial flower business can now safely enjoy his garden thanks to volunteers from a nearby road scheme.
Workers carrying out the improvements to junction 10 of the M6 for National Highways and Walsall Council stepped in to help when they encountered Monzur Miah during the scheme.
Monzur has cerebral palsy and uses a motorised wheelchair to get around and an electronic talk box to communicate. Thanks to the new pathway installed by the team he can now get into the garden more easily.
He came to the attention of the project team when a pedestrian route had to be diverted for safety reasons during the improvement work and they realised that the diversion was taking him out of his way when he wanted to travel between his home and Walsall.
They decided to do something for Monzur in appreciation of his understanding. Works manager Steven Adamson arranged for workers to prepare and level the ground and install a concrete path with recycled stone.
Six people from the team volunteered to carry out the work over a weekend.
Monzur launched his flower business, Monty’s Flowers, during the pandemic and he sells artificial blooms.
It has seen him take part in pop-up events at the Plant Plot Garden Village, Lichfield, to showcase his silk and wooden flowers.
Monzur is now planning to build an office to support the business at the end of the garden and the new pathway will help him achieve that goal.
The 42-year-old said: “I am very grateful to Sisk for coming to help, for sparing their time and helping to improve access for me, preparing the ground for my future freestanding office plans. This meant so much, I want to give a big thanks to all who helped.”
National Highways Project Manager, Rumbi Dzikiti, said: “We appreciate that any roadworks, particularly on a scheme as large as this, can cause disruption for local people and appreciate their understanding while works are carried out.
“So if we can be a good neighbour and help people in the local community we are happy to do so. The project team got to know Monzur and volunteered to carry out this work in his garden.
“Hopefully he can now better enjoy the outdoors this summer and ultimately get the office he wants to support his business.”
Councillor Adrian Andrew, Deputy Leader, Walsall Council, said: “Walsall Council is committed to supporting our residents and local communities and team working at junction 10 have actively embraced this.
“Throughout the project, Sisk and the wider project team have repeatedly looked for opportunities to make a meaningful social contribution in the borough and this is another excellent example of that.”
Two 50-year-old bridges have been demolished at junction 10 and replaced by wider, new bridges spanning the motorway which are doubling the number of lanes around the bottleneck junction from two to four.
The improvements scheme is being funded jointly by National Highways and Walsall Council, supported by the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership, and contractor John Sisk & Son is carrying out the work.
