My name is Miss Cassidy, I am a teacher at Limavady High School and the Co-ordinator of the Roe Valley Learning Community Garden of Tranquillity Project in the Enagh Cemetery in Limavady.  I started this project in my previous post as RVLC (Roe Valley Learning Community) Co-ordinator, which involved organizing joint schools projects and events between the RVLC Post-Primary schools.  When I saw the ‘BBC Breathing Places programmes’ on TV, and from witnessing the success of the previous schools projects and the enjoyment which the pupils gained from participating and working together, I was inspired to apply for a grant for a community garden from the Big Lottery Fund N.I, which I successfully achieved.  I researched into suitable locations in the Borough for the garden, and thought that the cemetery would be a perfect space as it is frequently utilized by our community, and a beautiful, tranquil garden would be really appreciated by the locals, hence our garden name.  Limavady Borough Council kindly gave us consent for the garden to be located in the cemetery and prepared the space for pupils to plant the shrubbery.

Pupils from four of the Post-primary schools in the Borough took part in the planting of shrubbery on Saturday 28^th March 2009; Limavady High School, Limavady Grammar School, St. Mary’s School and Rossmar School.  We also had great support from teaching staff from Limavady Grammar School; Dr Mawhinney, and Mrs Archibald from Rossmar school, and also Mr Billy Crown; proprietor of ‘Crindle Nurseries’, Limavady, who supplied the wonderful selection of shrubbery and was at hand to give helpful advice and support to the pupils.

The pupils worked very conscientiously together, helping each other along the way, as not all of the pupils had gardening experience.  The pupils created a beautiful garden and it felt very rewarding to see pupils from different backgrounds and different abilities, who had never met each other before, enjoying working together as a team.  One pupil made a very poignant comment when we were leaving; she said that it was great to meet the other pupils and get the opportunity to work with them.

The project has provided the pupils with an opportunity to work together, learn new skills, and make new friends.  I am very passionate about providing young people with opportunities to work together and take pride in their community, and I’m also passionate about creating awareness of our environment, and this project has enabled pupils to do something very positive for their local area.  There will be an official opening ceremony of the garden in June 2009.

The application for the Garden to be registered as a ‘BBC Breathing Place’ has now been approved, and can be viewed on the map on the BBC Breathing Places public website; www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces.  The garden is the first space in the town of Limavady to be registered.  It has a variety of shrubs, with lots of sensory shrubs such as lavender, which will encourage insects, and with bird nesting boxes of different sizes situated surrounding the garden, a variety of species of birds will be encouraged into the area.  The garden is also designed to be wheelchair access friendly, and it’s great to see members of our community enjoying this tranquil space.