Speaker Evening

Juliette Lee and Fiona Chandler - past and current presidents of GreenFerry Trust were guests at the Rotary Club of South Queensferry on Thursday 25th July. Their inspiring talk covered the acquisition and development of Hawthornbank Walled Garden in the heart of the historic town. Once in commercial use and then a playground, by 2014 the council-owned site was neglected, run-down and dangerous. Only yards away, the Tom Thumb nursery group had very limited playing space.

Juliette Lee, a local resident and business woman and Fiona Chandler who also lived nearby and worked for the BBC, decided to remedy the situation. Funding was raised to clear the site and prepare half the garden. Further fundraising allowed completion of the project which now contains original wall-carvings by sculptor Brian Cox and is also the site for the Ferry Mosaic - Garry Smith and Mike Spring's community arts project.

Fiona and Juliette explained that funds came from various sources including public donations, Queensferry Rotary Club, Scotmid, Forth Crossing, Edinburgh Airport, Barratt and Cala Homes and the local council. Plans for the first phase were provided free by DWA Landscape. The project was a perfect example of  a community working together to improve its environment. It would have been impossible without the help of many volunteers ranging from local gardeners to the fire brigade. It proved the words of the great environmentalist John Muir: 'Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play and pray in where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul.' There will be a grand opening  at 2pm on Saturday 17th August. Queensferry now has a beautiful new amenity and the nursery children have a safe, grassy place to play.

The meeting was chaired by President Jim McCulloch. Grainger Falconer introduced the speakers and Neil McKinlay proposed the vote of thanks.