CaRT builds sensory garden with Gurkhas

Published: Friday, 03 March 2017

THE Canal & River Trust has begun work on a new dementia sensory garden at Naburn Lock on the outskirts of York, with the help of Gurkha soldiers from nearby Imphal Barracks.

The new garden will be part of a wider site that will also include a nature trail, to sensitively transform and enhance the natural surroundings at Naburn Lock, located along a picturesque rural stretch of the Ouse.

Started work

Today, Friday, soldiers from 246 Gurkha Signal Squadron undertook training in a more unusual environment, by helping Canal & River Trust workers dig and clear a site to create the new garden.

The new Dementia Sensory Garden and Nature Trail, which is funded through a £10,000 grant from the ‘Bags of Help' local community scheme run by Tesco will be completed in time for the Canal & River Trust's Open Day at Naburn Locks in September.

Endurance challenge

Last year 28 teams, made up of more than 600 soldiers, competed in the annual ‘Race the Sun' a 12 hour, 130 miles endurance challenge across the Trust's waterways and towpaths, and was thanked by the Army for its support, and later got in touch to ask about the possibility of some help to improve the current site surrounding Naburn Lock and assistance with clearing the site where the Dementia Sensory Garden will be planted.

Tom Wright, Development & Engagement Manager at Canal & River Trust, (who secured the funding for the project and arranged today's activities) explained:

"It's been a brilliant day, thank-you to the Army for helping us. The Gurkha soldiers' enthusiasm and energy has been fantastic and we've made great steps towards a new dementia sensory garden. Now we will begin to design and plant the garden. We'll be inviting local people who suffer from dementia to join us in the gardening and planting process. I hope they will enjoy the garden and spend time here with friends and family."

Major Paul Whillis, Officer Commanding 246 Gurkha Signal Squadron, (who was participating in the activities in Naburn Lock) stated:

"We've been helping with the physically tough stage of creating this new community garden, cutting back vegetation and moving masonry from a former mill on the site. It's been great to meet the Canal & River Trust team and find out about what they do and help to make a lasting difference to the local community. It's a wonderful setting at Naburn Lock and we look forward to returning to see the finished site in September."