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FAMILY and friends of the four firefighters who died last year in Atherstone-on-Stour have come together to organise a garden at the Alcester Fire Station in their memory.

The garden, which is planned for a patch of waste ground next to the station, will need lots of work, and the organisers are hoping to get the people of Alcester involved as much as possible.

Maggie Walker, whose husband Mark is an Alcester firefighter, is part of the committee organising the garden.

She said: "During those terrible four days, when we all more or less lived in that station, there was nothing to do but watch and wait, and Darren's aunt was standing looking out at the ground.

"She just said What a wonderful place to put a memorial garden' and it started from there."

Plans are already under way to build a wall with plaques featuring the names of the four firefighters incorporated into it.

There will also be a covered seating area, which will hopefully provide a more comfortable environment for anyone wanting to visit the garden on the anniversary of the fire, and a day of activities is already organised where local children are invited to design and decorate a tile to go inside the seating area.

Maggie added: "We want it to be beautiful and something to be proud of, that the community can come and use.

"Alcester as a community was just absolutely fantastic and that's what got us through this, so the garden will be somewhere for people to come with their kids and enjoy."

Skilled tradesmen are being sought to help with bricklaying, block paving, carpentry, as well as volunteers who are keen to help with general labouring or just have a passion for gardening.

Anyone wanting to volunteer their services can contact Mandy Baylis on 07725 163526 or email mandy-baylis@hotmail.co.uk The children's workshops will be running on Sunday, June 8 from 10am-4pm, painting bird feeders and plant pots as well as creating tiles.

Alternatively donations can be made to Firefighters Memorial Garden' at HSBC Bank a/c no 61887238 sort code 40-43-19.

3:15pm Tuesday 20th May 2008

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