Six-year-old transforms abandoned plot into thriving community garden

Tom: "I just want to look after the world"

Six months ago, a piece of land on the outskirts of Liverpool lay abandoned and unused but thanks to the determination of a local boy it has been transformed into a lively garden at the heart of the community.

Tom, six, who is a pupil at Our Lady's and St Swithin R C Primary School, first came up with the idea of creating a community garden after he attended an assembly by charity CAFOD, which explained how climate change was affecting communities around the world.

So inspired with what he had learned, Tom sprang into action and with the help of his mum, proposed the idea for a community garden to Croxteth University, who kindly donated a plot of land.

Deciding to give up his holidays, Tom and his mum spent the whole summer planting the bulbs that had been donated and tending to the garden.

It was officially opened in September, and in just a few weeks, it has become incredibly popular with many people volunteering to help maintain the space.

When asked about how he felt about the garden, which Tom has named the Laudato Si' garden inspired by Pope Francis' teachings, Tom simply replied: "I just want to look after the world."

His school now plans to renovate the space nearby the garden for picnics and run a local climate festival next summer with local musicians and artists.

Tom's fellow students, inspired by his lead, have now set up a CAFOD club and a climate club to help make further changes both in their local community and globally.

And local community members have come forward to offer their services, including a local canoeist who has offered to take a group of students out on the River Mersey to help get rid of plastic.

Sandra Hamilton, RE Co-Ordinator at the school, said: "Tom's example has shown how from seeds, gardens of hope can grow. This project is so inspiring and has helped to bring the whole community together."

Find out more at: https://cafod.org.uk

Notes to Editors

For further information and photos please contact:

Elouise Hobbs, ehobbs@cafod.org.uk, Mobile: +44 (0)7954 077426 | Landline: + 44 (0) 2920 344 882 Or, CAFOD's 24-hour media hotline on +44 (0)7919 301 429

CAFOD is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in England and Wales, and part of Caritas International. Across the world we bring hope and compassion to poor communities, standing side by side with them to end poverty and injustice. Because we work through the local Church, we can reach people and places that others can't.

ENDS //