A 'LITTLE Eden' was opened at Vincent Court sheltered housing scheme.

Keen gardener Lesley Hulme led the initiative and secured a £4,500 grant from the Big Lottery Fund.

Resident, Lesley worked for months with neighbours Brenda Winnard and Martin Carrabine and volunteer Nigel Anderson on the ‘Our Little Eden’ project, planting hundreds of plants, from flowers to fruit trees and vegetables for all the residents to share and enjoy. The fund enabled them to buy a greenhouse and water feature for the space.

Cllr Madeline Murray 'cut the ribbon' on the Mosscare homes' gardens in Lever Edge Lane, Bolton.

Lesley, who has been working hard on the project for up to ten hours a day at times, said: ‘I have loved gardening since I was a child and when I first moved in to Vincent Court I started planting one or two hanging baskets and a small border outside my window, and it has really grown from there!

"'Our Little Eden’ has encouraged more residents to come and sit outside and mix together.’

Councillor Madeline Murray said: ‘This project has really encouraged people out of their flats and to come outside and enjoy the gardens – some fantastic work has been going on.’

Mosscare St Vincent’s owns and manages over 8,500 homes across the North West.