Catherine Fookes, Labour's parliamentary candidate for Monmouthshire, met with volunteers who have been instrumental in restoring Bailey Park's gardens.

At Bailey Park in Abergavenny, Ms Fookes met with Judith Vicary, Chair of Friends of Bailey Park, and volunteers, alongside Park County Councillor Tudor Thomas, to learn about their volunteer work. Passionate about the Park, the Friends got to work and started their initiative to restore and enhance the gardens fifteen years ago. Their efforts have resulted in several beautiful gardens: a sensory garden, a rockery, a sunken garden, an orchard, and six main flower beds. Abergavenny in Bloom, an initiative coordinated by Abergavenny Town Council, has made Friends of Bailey Park a proud participant. Their gardening has helped the town win gold awards for Wales in Bloom and Britain in Bloom. To maintain their award-winning work, the group has ten people pitching in on Monday and Thursday mornings, and they are seeking volunteers to join them weekly or occasionally between the months of April and November. Catherine Fookes said, "Bailey Park is bursting with colour; the gardens serve as a shining example of what can be accomplished when a community comes together. Friends of Bailey Park have done an exceptional job in beautifying the Park, and I recommend joining them; not only will you be doing your bit to enrich the town, but I can guarantee that you will learn a thing or two from a team of people brimming with gardening knowledge." Chair of Friends of Bailey Park, Judith Vicary, said, "Gardening in a public place brings many unexpected delights. It helps keep volunteers fit in both mind and body, through exercise, companionship, fresh air and creative satisfaction, while we contribute towards protecting our environment. Equally importantly, we hope to bring pleasure, solace, and community spirit to all our visitors. Why not join us?" Catherine Fookes added, "I was also pleased to learn about the collaborations with Abergavenny Rotary Club, Abergavenny Garden Centre, Abergavenny Civic Society and Abergavenny Town Council." If you are interested in volunteering, please visit Friends of Bailey Park's Facebook page for more information.