A GARDEN of prayer designed by a schoolboy has received the blessing of the family of a much-loved parish priest.
The willow garden now takes pride of place at Cockerton C of E Primary School, Darlington, a lasting tribute to parish priest Fr Richard Wallace, who died in 2012 aged just 52.
Designed by Year 6 pupil Isaac Dickinson, the garden, complete with memorial bench and willow arches, marks the route the popular priest took virtually every day from the vicarage to his church.
It was officially opened at a ceremony involving pupils, staff and Fr Richard’s family.
Isaac, 11, who hopes one day to become an architect, said: “We used to see him most days and everyone was really shocked when he died.
“We were asked to come up with a prayer garden in his memory and I started drawing it on paper then made a 3D model using card and platted copper for the crosses.
“Copper would have been too expensive to use so we replaced it with willow, which looks really nice. I was really surprised and thrilled when my design was chosen.
“We have an architect in the family and my dad is a design engineer. I have wanted to be an architect since KS1.”
The school responded to a request by Fr Richard’s family for a lasting memorial to him in Cockerton.
The site was chosen along the route of a shortcut he took every day from his home to the church.
Isaac’s wining design was taken by willow artists Steve and Simone Fuller, of Willowpool Designs, who spent a day working with children from Year 5 and Year 6 to create living willow arches over the paths in the new memorial prayer garden.
Pupils joined members of St Mary Church congregation and Fr Richard’s family in the garden and the current Parish Priest Fr Damon Bage blessed it and the memorial bench.
School Chaplain Sarah McTimoney said: “The children have really enjoyed learning how to plant willow saplings and the result is a fitting artistic memorial to Fr Richard.”
