Charitable family create sensory garden in memory of grandmother

A CHARITABLE Middlesbrough family has raised over £1,500 to fund a care home sensory garden in memory of grandmother Dot.

The garden at Ingleby Care Home has been dedicated to Dot Robinson, who lived there while fighting Parkinson’s disease, before passing away in 2016.

The Boddy family, from Thornton Village, ran a number of charity events to raise funds for box planters, a new patio, solar powered bird feeder and a bench bearing Dot’s name.

Money was raised through the sale of raffle tickets, donations from local businesses and online pledges.

Dot’s grandson Paul Boddy and his partner Leanne Briggs originally came up with the idea of creating the sensory garden for the home, in Ingleby Barwick.

Leanne said: “We wanted to create the garden as a thank you to all the staff and residents for their support and care.

“A multi-sensory garden is designed specifically to be accessible and enjoyable to residents and their families with physical and mental health issues, including the elderly population.

“Our sensory garden includes features that encourage senses, such as scented and edible plants, different textured grounds, and raised flower beds for accessible gardening.”

Dot’s family, including daughter Janet Boddy and her husband Dennis, attended a celebratory event at the care home to mark the official opening of the new garden.

Carol Singleton, home manager at Ingleby Care Home, said: “It was lovely to see Dot’s family again and we are so grateful to them for creating this amazing garden for our residents and their families to enjoy.

“The garden is a tribute to Dot, who was a much-loved resident at Ingleby Care Home. We look forward to making the most of it with summer just around the corner.”

Photo: The Boddy family celebrate the opening of their grandmother Dot’s sensory garden at Ingleby Care Home, Ingleby Barwick.