The Abbeyfield Belfast Society (ABS) has secured funding to enable work to begin on the renovation of the garden at Bell Rotary House, a sheltered housing scheme for older people in East Belfast.

The house, which is home to 19 residents, has been awarded £54,800 following a successful application to the Wolfson Foundation. The funding will see the garden re-landscaped to provide an outdoor space that is more appropriate and suitable for its residents, some of whom are living with sensory, mobility and memory impairments.

Many of the resident are currently unable to experience fully the benefits of the existing garden or engage in gardening projects at Bell Rotary House, and expressed their desire for a new garden and summerhouse that they and visitors could enjoy. The house collated their opinions and put them to a designer, whose proposal ignited the interest and imagination of the residents.

ABS chief executive, Niki Molloy, said: “This project will create an inviting and accessible outdoor space for everyone, enabling our residents to be more active, improving their mental and physical wellbeing. We were very excited to see the proposed design and we were determined to raise the necessary funding to bring it to reality. We are so grateful for the Wolfson Foundation’s generosity and very much look forward to beginning work on the new garden this autumn.”

Bell Rotary House is an Abbeyfield care home, and one of five sheltered housing schemes managed by ABS.