Dedication to former South Tyneside councillor Bill Brady to be made at remembrance garden

The memorial garden is in honour of Bill Brady, who served his community for 30 years.

Bill Brady was a popular face in the Whiteleas ward where he not only lived but represented residents as a Labour councillor.

He died last year, aged 87, days before he was due to step down from politics.

Now, his love for the ward he represented for so long is to be recognised in a garden of remembrance created within the site of Holder House Allotment project – a scheme improving the lives of people with learning disabilities.

The garden has been designed and built by those who access the project.

Cllr Brady’s name will feature on a memorial plaque, along with names of others who have supported the project over the years whether as a volunteer, support worker, service user, or a parent of a service user.

Project manager, Chris Convery said: “Over the past few years there has been quite a few people dying who have been part of our service, as well as parents of our service users, who have left us money.

“We have been trying to figure out what we could do with the money, when we decided to create a garden of remembrance.

“Our service users have worked on the garden for the last six-months and they have are over the moon with how it is looking. We have memorial benches and a pergola covering them.

“Everyone has worked really hard on it and they are so proud of what they have created.”

Mr Convery added: “It is a lovely place and it’s a place where they can come and remember their loved ones and where they can come if they are needing a bit of comfort and a bit of time out.”

Other names featuring on the plaques include John Blythe, Robert Redhead, Neil Farish, Angela Carr, David Beck, Malcolm Ford, Ian Jackson, Darrin Gibbons, Ian Nesbitt, Terry and Sheila Convery. While memorial benches have been donated in memory of Joyce Butters and George Johnson.

The remembrance garden, which has been created within the Holder House Allotment project, in Holder House Way, South Shields, will be officially opened tomorrow at 1pm and the ceremony is open to all members of the public to attend.

Holder House Allotment Project has been running sine 2008 and offers places for people – including those with learning and physical disabilities, the elderly and local schools – to learn about horticulture.

The aim is to boost their confidence as well as their gardening skills.