VOLUNTEERS fromBalfour Beatty Rail and Newydd Housing Association worked with green fingered tenants at Gwyn James Court in Penarth to redevelop the community garden and encourage community growing.

The initiative was part of Newydd’s Making a Difference (MAD) project which encourages volunteering in the community.

Braving the weather, volunteers worked hard over a two day period to create new pathways, raise uneven surfaces, provide raised bedding areas and provide some much needed tender loving care to the surrounding area.

Now completed, the plan is to work with the tenants to support community growing and encourage the more green fingered tenants to take over individual plots, putting pride back in to the garden once again.

Daniel Rivers, project delivery engineer at Balfour Beatty Rail, said: “Before we started, the left hand side of the garden was barren and offered little inspiration for growing. With a little pruning, digging, and a lot of wheel-barrowing we were able to create a green space which can be enjoyed by the whole community."

Chris Sayce, labour and resource manager at Balfour Beatty Rail, added: “We would like to thank our suppliers; Mecx, TXM, RMS & Anderselite for their significant contribution of materials to the project. I'd also like to extend a special thanks to the tenants for helping out on the day and also treating us all to some lovely homemade cooking.”

Val Garland, Newydd tenant and keen gardener, said: “The tenants at Gwyn James Court cannot thank Balfour Beatty Rail enough for the tremendous hard work they have put in over the past two days transforming an unused wasteland into what's now the focus point of the garden. "The raised bedding will allow the much older tenants like my mother who is 90 years old to continue with her love of gardening. Age should never be a barrier.

"Only expecting a few raised bedding areas it came as a massive shock when Balfour Beatty redeveloped the whole left side of the garden and also installed the greenhouse and shed. The plan now is to invite the local nursery and teach the young children basic gardening."

Newydd Housing Association would like to thank Balfour Beatty Rail, and the generosity of their suppliers for their contributions which have helped change the lives of the tenants at Gwyn James Court.