Memorial garden gains ground with Forterra support

The initiative, led by the volunteer-run charity Friends of the ODA Memorial Gardens, aims to transform the currently underused gardens into a revitalised space for remembrance, biodiversity, and community events. The group’s long-term goal is to improve access and restore heritage features, creating a welcoming green space for the residents of Oakthorpe, Donisthorpe, and Acresford.

Forterra’s brick donation will be used to build the base of a new welcome archway and reconstruct a damaged section of the original boundary wall, helping improve accessibility for wheelchairs and pushchairs. The work also supports the charity’s plans to re-landscape the area with new footpaths, planting schemes, and a formal layout for remembrance events, including standing areas for services.

Kay Eley, a founding member and secretary of Friends of the ODA, said: “This support from Forterra has enabled us to move forward with a key part of the garden’s restoration. Our aim is to create somewhere that can serve both as a place of remembrance and also as a living community space for the whole parish.

"The completed grounds will provide somewhere safe and accessible for children and families, while also serving as a community hub for various events.”

Friends of the ODA registered as a charity in 2023 after several years of community consultation and planning. So far, volunteers have re-sited a historic colliery wheel, planted biodiversity zones, and laid the groundwork for future phases including a sensory garden and amphitheatre. The project is being delivered in partnership with the local parish council, with full completion aimed for 2030, marking the centenary of the gardens’ rededication as a memorial park.

Joe Parker, Head of Marketing Communications at Forterra, said: “We’re proud to support the restoration of the ODA Memorial Gardens, a project that brings together heritage, sustainability, and community. As a business rooted in this area, it’s particularly meaningful to contribute to something that honours local history while creating a space that future generations can enjoy.”

The donation forms part of Forterra’s Local Charity Initiative Scheme, which sees individual factories supporting causes close to their communities by donating building products, funding, or volunteer time.

To find out more about the Local Charity Initiative Scheme, please visit: https://www.forterra.co.uk/forms/local-charity-initiative-scheme/.