Evenwood dementia garden wins eco-accolade for Ernie

THE community spirit in Evenwood has been recognised at an annual awards ceremony.

The village’s sensory garden, at the Cornerstone Christian Centre, was chosen as the winner of the Place and Spaces category at the County Durham Environment Awards last Thursday (November 23).

The site was derelict until church member and village resident Ernie Malt, who lives with vascular dementia, had the idea of using the space to create a dementia-friendly garden.

It now provides a safe and stimulating place for people with dementia and their carers to visit but is accessible to all.

Funds were raised from local events along with a grant from Teesdale Action Partnership. The garden was then designed and built with input from a team of volunteers.

The space was officially opened in July when members of the community turned out to see the finished project and admire the volunteers’ hard work.

Mr Malt, who also helped set up the Evenwood Dementia Cafe, thanked everyone who had been involved with the project including residents, councillors, businesses and organisations.

He said: “A great big thank you to the wonderful volunteers without who this project would not have become the success that it has.

“You should all be proud your Cornerstone sensory garden achieved this award because of what you all put into it. Bless you all for allowing my dream to became a reality.”

The awards, now in their 28th year, are organised by the County Durham Environment Partnership to celebrate great design, environmental guardianship and community spirit. This year saw 53 entries from across County Durham, of which 12 were revealed as category winners and 21 highly commended at a special ceremony.

Chairman of the County Durham Environment Partnership Oliver Sherratt said: “These awards are a unique opportunity to celebrate the fantastic achievements of people who dedicate their time to improve the environment in County Durham.

“Once again we have seen a wide range of excellent projects and I never fail to be impressed by the commitment of those individuals and groups who give up their time to make County Durham a better place for people to live and visit.”