GREEN-FINGERED Halton Housing Trust customers living at Brunswick House in Runcorn have been enjoying their new look garden.

Residents raised enough money over the last twelve months to transform the once run down central courtyard into a vibrant and tranquil outdoor haven, full of flowers, trees and plants opened by Halton MP Derek Twigg.

Merseylink, the construction consortium building the new Mersey Gateway Bridge, was instrumental in getting the project off the ground.

Following an application to the Merseylink Time Bank, Brunswick House, which provides supported accommodation for older people, received a ground survey and technical drawings to set out the style, required materials and suggested vegetation.

Merseylink used the expertise of environmental consultancy partner, RSK Environment Ltd, who provided a landscape architect to design the outdoor space, while four general construction apprentices helped to physically create the garden.

The Trust’s grounds maintenance team also lent a hand, with some even working at the weekends to finish the project.

Mike Angell, assistant housing support manager for Amethyst Living, said: “It’s been a 12 month journey to achieve the garden and it looks fantastic.

"Brunswick House customers did a lot of fundraising themselves and they not only ended up with a garden but the community spirit of the building has been lifted.”

Brunswick House Residents Association also contributed £700 of their own money to pay for garden furniture, raised £180 from a bric-a-brac stall on Runcorn Market and carried out many more fundraising activities over the last year to help pay for the garden.

Secretary Ann Burns said: “Since we approached Merseylink Time Bank our project went from strength to strength.

"If we had to pay for the work ourselves it would have taken all of the funding we had raised and more.

"Our new garden is beyond our wildest dreams.

"We really cannot thank Merseylink Time Bank enough for helping us to complete our project.”

The next round of Merseylink Time Bank funding applications opens in September 2015.

To apply visit merseygateway.co.uk/merseylink/time-bank