A Causeway Coast community is asking for volunteers to help with a gardening project which will be a tribute to a shopkeeper who was at the heart of the village.

Balnamore Community Association has been awarded a grant to refurbish and restore the flowerbed outside the Brooklands Nearby Balnamore shop in the village.

The shop was known for years – and is still known to many – as Bertie’s Shop, in tribute to its former owner, the late Bertie Davidson.

"For so many of us who grew up in Balnamore, this will always be known as Bertie’s shop,” the Association said in a post on social media.

Balnamore Community Association's project is a tribute to the late Bertie Davidson.

placeholder image — Balnamore Community Association's project is a tribute to the late Bertie Davidson.

"To many of us, this was never just a shop, it was Bertie’s shop. A familiar face, a kind word, a listening ear, and someone who knew everyone and always had time for them.

"With 2025 marking ten years since Bertie’s passing, we felt it was only right that this restoration be done as a tribute to Bertie and the legacy he left behind in our village.

"This project is being carried out with the kind permission and support of the Davidson family, and we hope it will stand as a small but meaningful way to remember Bertie and the impact he had on so many lives.”

The Association is now looking for volunteers to help with the project and to maintain it.

"We have a short turnaround, with works needing to be completed by the end of February, but we know this project will brighten our wee village and be something the whole community can be proud of.”

Anyone interested should contact the Association via Facebook.