New wildlife garden for Thornbury

A wildlife meadow will be created at a community garden in Thornbury with the help of a water company's grant.

The project is the latest in the town to be supported with a Watermark award, given by Wessex Water for environmental schemes.

Two previous hand-outs to the Thornbury Community Garden team were made to support the work of the volunteers, who have created a much valued site for local people to enjoy and which is also a haven for wildlife.

Now the latest grant of £450 will be used for the wildflower area at the garden in Upper Bath Road.

Adrian Jones, chairman of the garden group, said: "Wessex Water has been a great supporter of our schemes and I'm delighted it has stepped in again with an award for our wildflower project."

He said the meadow would be divided into two areas to separate spring and summer flowers.

The garden was created on a former derelict plot, which took three years to transform and opened to the public last year.

It was developed after a former sensory garden in another part of the town had to close to make way for housing.

The team which had looked after the sensory garden was offered the new site by South Gloucestershire Council, but a lot of hard work was needed before it could welcome visitors.

Mr Jones said: "Clearing the site, where possible, was done by volunteers. But there were some jobs that were just too big to do by hand, including clearing builders' rubble and cutting back an immensely tall hedge to let in more light."

Help was also given by inmates at nearby Leyhill Open Prison as part of community work undertaken by prisoners.

The garden is next to the Turnberries community building and is accessible to all, including those in wheelchairs.