An organisation that supports people with autism and ADHD is delighted to have finished its memorial garden – a project two years in the making which it was determined to see through to the end.

The Covid memorial garden is now ready for visitors, and can be found in Oaks Meadow in Combs.

Autism and ADHD is an Ipswich-based organisation, which was approached by UK Youth in 2020 about delivering a series of projects aimed at girls and young women.

“We became delivery service for a project called EmpowHER,” explained CEO, Annie Clements. “It was all about using social action projects as a way of improving young girls’ mental health.”

Autism and ADHD recruited around 20 girls to the project, approaching them through their schools.

“We thought it was going to be face-to-face, to enable them to build friendship groups,” said Michelle Chisholm, who was running the project alongside colleague Kristie Frost.

“But then we went into lockdown.

“So, we were faced with the difficult task of running the group online via Zoom. The girls did struggle to form friendships that way, and some were really shy using the technology.”

Many made the decision to leave the project, until just three remained.

However, these three girls, and Michelle and Kristie, were determined to see the project through.

“The project is led by the girls, and they thought it would be a good idea to do a Covid memory garden,” said Michelle.

“It was really, really hard to find the land, and we kept coming up against closed doors. I got to the point where I thought, we’re never actually going to make this happen.”

However, they persevered, and were delighted to find land in Stowmarket. They managed to secure a plot of land as part of the Oaks Meadow Project.

“Now, two years down the line, we’ve completed the garden. It’s brought a sense of closure and pride that, despite the doors we had to bang on, we didn’t give up. We made it happen,” said Michelle.

“I was really proud to share the message with our girls, if you never give up and you keep trying, good things do happen,” said Michelle.

“It’s not the end – it's actually the very beginning, because there are young plants and trees which have just been put in, so it will mature year after year and get more beautiful.”