St Mary’s Churchyard refreshed thanks to council efforts

Ashford Borough Council’s proactive Town Centre Action Team (T-CAT), Aspire Landscape Management and the council’s Property and Projects team have been busy refreshing and refurbishing St Mary’s Churchyard in the town centre.

Councillor Bill Barrett in St Mary’s courtyard.

The project was led by Cllr Bill Barrett and Cllr Brad Bradford, who set out to make St Mary’s Churchyard a cleaner, more attractive and pleasant place for residents to visit.

Aspire planted spring bulbs including snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils in the churchyard which are now in bloom and adding a splash of colour to the town centre. In addition, the officers trimmed back the overgrown trees and brambles in the grounds of the churchyard to keep the area looking neat and tidy.

T-CAT power-washed the block paving and cleared the overgrown weeds in the churchyard. They also spruced up the BT Phone Box by mending the slatted windows and giving it a fresh lick of paint.

New lighting was also installed on the tower of the church, beautifully lighting up the historic building and creating a focal point for the town centre. The lanterns on the entrance gate to the church were replaced with new bulbs to create an attractive and well-lit area for visitors to walk through after dark.

Cllr Bill Barrett, Lead Member for Town Centre Presentation and Safety, said: “The churchyard regeneration project was about making sure the heart of our town looks as good as it possibly can. St Mary’s Church is a beautiful heritage building which deserves to be cherished and admired.

“I would like to thank T-CAT, Aspire and the Property and Projects team for all their hard work, and I hope people enjoy visiting the church even more now the area has been improved.”

To keep up to date with all Communityad articles, news and publications why not follow us on our social media channels?