A local Brownies group has created a garden of remembrance in loving memory of one of its young leaders, thanks to a special community initiative from Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care.
Launched this summer, Scrivens’ Branch Out with Kindness initiative invites community groups across England and Wales to share ideas for how a £100 gift could make a difference where it matters most.
The Sutton in Ashfield branch in Idlewells Shopping Centre selected the 4th Sutton in Ashfield Brownies in recognition of the members’ compassion, resilience and community spirit in the face of the heartbreaking loss of young leader, Grace Keeling.
The Brownies used the £100 Branch out with Kindness gift to purchase gardening tools, planters, compost and seeds to create a space to honour Grace. The group also spent time decorating stones with turtle designs, a nod to Grace’s favourite animal, to add an even more personal touch to the space.
Scrivens Sutton in Ashfield branch manager, Joanne Wright, said: “When we launched the Branch Out with Kindness initiative, we wanted to celebrate the everyday acts of kindness happening in our community. The 4th Sutton in Ashfield Brownies have used their gift to create something truly special, turning grief into something beautiful. We’re honoured to support them and we hope this garden brings comfort and peace to everyone who visits it for years to come.”
Catherine Graves, commenting on behalf of the 4th Sutton in Ashfield Brownies leaders and young leaders, said: “Our new garden of remembrance will be a lasting tribute to Grace and everything she brought to our unit. She was a role model, friend and inspiration who helped the girls build confidence, friendship, resilience and a sense of belonging – values that remain at the heart of our unit today. For the girls, it is a meaningful way to remember Grace, process their loss and celebrate the kindness and community spirit she inspired. We are incredibly grateful to Scrivens for helping make this special garden possible.”
Grace’s close friend and fellow Young Leader at 4th Sutton in Ashfield added: “Grace loved being part of Brownies and cared so much about all the girls. The garden gives us a lovely place to remember her and the special place she had in our Brownie group.”
The Brownies, aged 7 to 9, also shared what the garden means to them, describing it as a special place to remember Grace and reflect on the memories they shared with her. Eliza said creating the garden showed “how much we all loved Grace”, while Nora said it would be nice to have somewhere to go to remember her. Freya added that it would be somewhere to “sit, think about Grace and talk about all the memories we have of her”. Darcie described Grace as “kind, helpful and caring” and said the garden would help the girls think of her, while Alice said it would be especially lovely to include pink flowers because “Grace loved pink”.
Scrivens Opticians & Hearing Care is a family-run business established in 1938, with 166 high street stores across England and Wales and over 1,000 employees. For more information, visit www.scrivens.com.
