Stevenage community group rallies up support of companies and individuals to transform seriously ill girl’s garden

The new garden (Image: Archant)

Stevenage community group People For People had an overwhelming response from companies and individuals after launching the appeal on social media earlier this month.

Leah Davenport organised the work and said: “People have rallied round in the community to make this possible. I would never have been able to do this without their support and I wouldn’t have been able to do this without People For People. This is the biggest project we have done so far and hopefully we will be able to do it again.”

The work was carried out to give Grace Roberts-Fookes somewhere to play outside at her house in Compton Place during the winter. She is unable to go to the park because of her illness and the garden’s turf becomes too muddy in bad weather.

Thanks to the donations this has now been replaced with artificial grass and she also has a dolls house to play in with her younger sister Molly.

Leah said: “I was overwhelmed with the response when we started this appeal. Not only with organisations and companies who offered time and materials but with individuals who came forward to help. Ed Garratt is currently living at the Haven homeless shelter but he still volunteered his time to work on this project because he wanted to be part of it. I think that shows just how amazing people in this community are.”

Grace’s parents Sarah and Louise blog about their daughter’s daily life and adventures. To see it search Unofficial: Amazing Grace on Facebook.

People For People was launched earlier this year to support good causes in Stevenage and allow businesses to gain exposure for any good work they do. Since launching it has helped various good causes, including an appeal to rebuild a wooden gate destroyed by a reckless driver at Broom Barns Community Primary School.

Leah has been inspired by this project and now plans to support other appeals in the run up to Christmas.