Limavady’s Martina delighted with community award

Two years of work by a Limavady woman which helped to transform a bleak and unused path of land into a beautiful cross-community garden in the heart of the town has been rewarded.
By The Newsroom
Published 28th Nov 2013, 09:59 BST
Martina Forrest, one of the founders of the community garden in the Glens estate, picks up the Seamus Roddy Award 2013 at the annual Housing Executive conference.Martina Forrest, one of the founders of the community garden in the Glens estate, picks up the Seamus Roddy Award 2013 at the annual Housing Executive conference.
Martina Forrest, one of the founders of the community garden in the Glens estate, picks up the Seamus Roddy Award 2013 at the annual Housing Executive conference.

Martina Forrest, a Senior Housing Officer with the Housing Executive in Limavady, picked up the Seamus Roddy Award at the organisation’s annual awards recently for her work on the community garden in the Glens estate.

She was nominated by her manager, Pamela Mullan, for the award, which is presented to an individual member of staff for their contribution to a project which enhances the physical environment.

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The garden, which is used by a number of community groups, includes a ‘Sow and Grow’ area, a Marie Curie daffodil garden and a tranquility garden and is used by the local cookery class, the sewing class, the mother and toddler group, the flower arranging group and the youth club.

Part of the garden has been given over to allotment growing which allows the community to grow their own produce. They currently grow potatoes, carrots, vegetables and fruit. This produce is then used in community cookery classes and will also be harvested for the Christmas community lunch.

Martina said: “I was delighted to be involved in the community woodland garden in the Glens estate in Limavady. This has been the second successful community garden within the district.

“The garden itself now holds special memories for me, local district office staff and the community as a whole. I am delighted to have won this award and to have been recognised for all the work that was involved in designing and creating the garden.”

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Local Housing Executive manager Pamela Mullan said: “I was delighted that Martina picked up the award which credits her work in identifying a project that would unite the community in Limavady.

“The garden is a testament to her dedication and persistence. It has proven to be such a worthwhile project which benefitted the wider cross-community area,” she added.

The community garden in the heart of the Glen’s estate was officially opened in June this year.

At the time, Tina McCloskey of the Glens Community Association described the garden as a focal point for the estate.

Related topics:LimavadyMarie Curie