Hello friends, family and supporters

The Willows Primary School in Timperley, Cheshire is a wonderful local primary school where my son Henry Gloag attended until he tragically lost his battle against Leukaemia in 2003 aged just 6-1/2.

Henry was born with Downs Syndrome, but this did not hold him back at school, he loved learning and adored his teachers and classmates. He was definitely a big character in his class and during treatment everyone supported him with visits, cards, letters and presents. He did return to school for a brief period although he now had the added accessory of a wheelchair, his friends thought it was great fun to push him around the playground and took turns pushing him to seeing how fast it would go!

It was a wonderful tribute to Henry and very fitting that the school created a memorial garden in the playground after his death. The garden has been well used over the years as an outside classroom, quiet reading space and a fun area for the many children subsequently attending the school. Little ones who never knew Henry, know that it is Henry’s Garden. This means the world to myself, Henry’s brother George and our family.

However, the garden has deteriorated over the years and recently became a hazard to the children. It was deemed unsafe and a decision was taken to remove the structure. The school have so kindly decided to replace the garden and create a new and fabulous sensory garden for the children, again in memory of Henry. The new area will be bigger and we would love to include ideas of colour, smell and sound. Below is a sketch of the preliminary layout. There will be seating areas for quiet times and instruments for making merry music! Bug houses, hand made paths and rainbows are all in the mix.

We also want to include the original plaque which was created with the following words to encapsulate the spirit of the garden and honour Henry’s special place...

“A shining pupil, a treasured smile, a place to sit and think a while. Let flowers grow and children play, we’ll remember him in every way”

I have been so taken aback by the generosity of people so far giving their time and effort to the new garden! Parents and grandparents from the school used their muscle to take down and remove the old garden and now a new design is coming together. Old classmates of Henry‘s are coming on board and a reunion is part of the plan when the new garden is complete In 2019.

There is money to get the project started and a lottery grant application is being made, however to enable all of the plans to come to fruition and make this exciting space for Willows pupils we need to raise some more cash. The new garden will remember Henry for many generations to come. How wonderful!

THIS is where you come in!

If you knew Henry or are touched by what we are trying to create in his memory. If you are a parent of a child past or present at The Willows. If you can give a few pounds or want to raise a little money yourself for this cause, it would be a wonderful thing that you do and I thank you from the bottom of my heart! ❤️

Jill xx