A GROUP of children proved that silence really is golden, when they raised money to create a new garden area for people living in an extra care housing scheme.

Children who attend the Fun Factory youth club in Northallerton held a sponsored silence to help transform a garden at Rivendale, a 51-home scheme run by Broadacres in the town’s Bankhead Road.

The new, open-plan garden now has raised flowerbeds, grass and path which allows wheelchair access and new wooden seating has also been installed so residents can enjoy their new surroundings in comfort.

The garden project started a few years ago with Broadacres’ community involvement team, Emily Thomas and Chris Norlund.

They ran a competition via local schools for pupils to re-design the area and then worked with Rivendale scheme manager Judith Beardsmore to pick the winner, Harriet Mayfield from Great Ayton.

Work began on the garden in August, with Broadacres staff working with young people from the Youth Justice Service to transform it, with plants supplied by landscape maintenance contractors HGM.

Ms Thomas said: “It would not have been possible without the help of so many different members of the community and we would like to say a special thank you to children at the Fun Factory, residents of Rivendale and to the Youth Justice Service, who were all critical to this project.”

Rivendale resident Brian Land said: “I look down on the garden from my home and it looks fantastic; all the residents are thrilled.”