DEDICATION OF THE JOSH PARKIN COMMUNITY MEMORIAL GARDEN IN BRIGG

Josh's family at the Memorial Garden in Brigg

Thursday night saw the culmination of much hard work by many people in Brigg with the dedication of the Josh Parkin Community Memorial Garden in Brigg - close to the Old River, the A18 Ancholme Way Bridge and the new Lidl store.
Josh - a teenager from Brigg -  tragically lost his life in a car accident in 2010.
Members of his family were present at the ceremony, together with representatives of Brigg Town Council, North Lincolnshire Council, Brigg police, Josh's friends and Ken Harrison, of Wrawby, who kindly took these pictures.
The Vicar of Brigg, Father Owain Mitchell and Coun the Rev Alec Depledge, Deputy Town Mayor and Mayor's Chaplain, officiated and Josh's family thanked everyone for attending.
Brigg Blog is delighted to be able to reproduce below what was said on the night - for the benefit of those who were unable to be present.
It was  moving ceremony during which many of us took shelter under the bridge, due to a heavy shower. 

A PLACE TO PAUSE AND THINK
Josh’s brother, Warren, and his friends originally approached the Town Council soon after he died, to ask whether the derelict site adjacent to the Ancholme Bridge could be turned into a memorial garden; the site being a popular meeting place for young people. However, due to the negotiations underway with Lidl and Tesco at that time, it was suggested that it was probably best to put such a project on hold until the extent of those development plans was known.
As work on the new Lidl site progressed earlier this year, it became apparent that the proposed site was not included in their works.  Therefore, as promised, discussions were re-opened, and a site meeting was organised between Josh’s family, Cllr. Carl Sherwood, North Lincolnshire Council Lead Cabinet Member for Safer Neighbourhoods and Town Mayor, as well as representatives of the Brigg Neighbourhood Policing Team, and the Humberside Traffic Police.
It was agreed that the initiative should now be expanded to create a Community Memorial Garden, and to use this opportunity to change the current public perception of this location by transforming it into a peaceful and tranquil area that any member of the community can gain comfort from.
In addition, the family made it clear that they wanted the garden to be a reminder of the consequences of unsafe behaviour and attitudes, not only among teenagers but for anyone who may be tempted to take a risk that could lead to such a tragedy; and discussions will soon be underway to look at methods of promoting and advertising the consequences of poor decision making, alongside the garden.
All of these conversations were taking place alongside the last minute frenzy by Lidl to get their store open, but the company still generously agreed to replace the brick wall around the site with gabbions to match the perimeter of the store site, and their contractor also turned over the land with a mini digger, and installed a litter bin and a dog litter bin close by, which were supplied by North Lincolnshire Council.
Since then, a working party has been held with the family and friends of Josh, to clear the site of stones, rubble and remaining plant growth, in readiness for landscaping.
The site has been turfed by North Lincolnshire Council.
Plants for a shrub garden have been donated by S. SmithT/A Pro-Pave Ltd, another local business, and will be planted by the family on the evening of the Spring Clean.
Work will then continue over the summer months, when it is intended to install some sleeper benches on the site, which will be donated by Grandads Shed.
In the Autumn the final stage of the planting scheme will take place, when Spring bulbs will be planted by Brigg Town Council, and a tree will be planted by the family in memory of Josh.
Josh’s family and their friends have shown tremendous patience whilst waiting to see if their idea of a memorial garden could be achieved.   They are to be applauded for their desire that the site should not be an empty gesture, and that it should also be a stark reminder of the tragic consequences of poor decision making, and the life changing impact on those left behind.
The hope now is that the whole community will come together to show and encourage respect for this area and for each other, so that new generations will learn from this tragedy, and also to ensure that anti-social behaviour and vandalism will not be tolerated at this beautiful location in Brigg.

The family joined by representatives of Brigg Police

The Vicar of Brigg, Father Owain Mitchell (centre) during the Dedication, with Coun the Rev Alec Depledge, third from right.

Brigg Town Councillor Donald Campbell with Halyna Deboer, manager  of the North Lincolnshire Council team which has put in some wonderful work on the Memorial Garden.

A view of the Memorial Garden taken from Ancholme Way Bridge

Taking shelter under the bridge during the heavy shower.

Awaiting the start of the ceremony.

The hard work continuing

ALL PICTURES BY KEN HARRISON - MANY THANKS