WORK has started on an ambitious community garden project in a North Yorkshire village.
A group of volunteers in Tunstall, near Catterick Garrison, has embarked on a mission to improve and extend an existing green space behind the village hall.
The project is called TIGER (Tunstall Island and Garden Environmental Restoration) and will create a nature trail, sensory garden, woodland wildflower area and disabled access path.
The extension of the garden has been made possible by resident Cec (cor) Pullan who has given permission for a small wooded island between Tunstal Beck and Thieves Gill to be used. Two bridges will be constructed across the beck to allow access for the nature trail.
Plans for the project were unveiled at a launch event held in the village hall and attended by volunteers, villagers and Richmond MP Sunak.
Mr Sunak said: "This is a great example of the community spirit in the village. There is lots of hard work ahead but I am sure they will accomplish their mission to create a really beautiful and peaceful space for the whole community to use."
The project will cost £8,000 and financial help has been received from the Tesco store at nearby Catterick Garrison and County Cllr Carl Les of North Yorkshire County Council which have both given £1,000.
At the launch event, the project manager Paul Greenwood showed guests and villagers around the site. Work on the sensory garden was underway with members of the Yorkshire Dry Stone Walling Guild providing their services free to create a horseshoe-shaped stone wall enclosure.
Martin Richardson, chairman of Tunstall Parish Council, thanked everyone who had attended the event and in particular those who had contributed time, money and goodwill to help get the project off the ground.
He singled out Mr Greenwood and his wife, Jane, for special praise. They had driven the project from the start in taking over the existing community garden and getting more villagers interested in gardening and growing their own vegetables.