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Mother's garden of remembrance

Eve Dugdale
22/ 8/2007

A MEMORIAL garden created by the mum of a soldier killed in action will be the venue of a special fund-raising party.

Lynda Ledwith's son Jamie Hancock loved the garden at the back of his mum's cottage on Primrose Lane.

When he lost his life while serving in Iraq last year she felt it fitting to dedicate the area to him.

She has spent months carefully nurturing her garden and will host a garden party for 120 selected guests to raise money for the Army's Benevolent Fund (ABF).

"Jamie loved the garden here and the river that runs through it. He visited the cottage just before leaving for his tour of Iraq," said Lynda.

"I wanted to create a special place in the garden, a place that would remind me of how brave Jamie was, somewhere that I could see as Jamie having come home. I hope others will visit Jamie's garden and use it as a place in which to remember Jamie."

The garden has been planted with different aspects of 19-year-old Jamie's life in mind. Plants range from Blue Angels "to watch over Jamie" and Dahlia Romeos because Jamie 'liked the girls!". The plants are all red, white and blue and red roses symbolise Jamie's regiment, the Duke of Lancaster's.

Lynda said: "Creating this garden has helped me deal with the heartache and I now want it to help others if it can.

"In the future, I hope that other organisations may want to come and see it, and make a donation to the ABF.

"What I want to get across to people is that I think our British soldiers are the best in the world and they do a great job wherever they are in the world. They need our support."

The garden party next month will include a buffet cooked by Army chefs, games for children, an Elvis impersonator and a raffle.

Lieutenant Colonel Philip Aindow, regional director of the Army Benevolent Fund, described Lynda as 'inspirational'.

"The ABF relies on the support of the community and spends about £250,000 every year in the North West alone assisting soldiers, former soldiers and their families - a considerable amount of which is raised by kind donations from the public. Soldiers appreciate that greatly," he said.

To make a donation to the ABF, send a cheque, made payable to Army Benevolent Fund, to Jamie Hancock's Garden, Army Benevolent Fund North West Office, Fulwood Barracks, Preston, Lancashire, PR2 8AA.