A stonemasonry student from Bath College has gifted a carved stone plinth for a new Garden of Remembrance at the Chapel of St Mary Magdalen on Holloway.
The Garden of Remembrance stone | Photo courtesy of St John’s Foundation
The Chapel and Garden are part of Bath community charity St John’s Foundation, and CEO David Hobdey was presented with the plinth on Monday 12th June by the student who carved the piece.
Augustus Gillick was accompanied by his tutor, Master Stonemason Paul Maggs.
Paul said: “It means a great deal to present this, as it’s always a pleasure to do community projects, and doing this one is an honour.
“It was difficult to choose the student, but I felt Augustus was the person for the job. It’s so nice to see so many people happy with the work”.
Magdalen Chapel’s Garden of Remembrance has taken almost five years to create, and the plinth was one of the final pieces.
Photo courtesy of St John’s Foundation
Once the garden has been blessed later in the year, members of the community will be able to bury the ashes of loved ones in its tranquil setting.
The project came about thanks to the friendship between Paul and Ken Cookes, one of the longest-standing members of Magdalen Chapel.
Bath College offered to take on the project to create the plinth and gift it to the chapel.
The aim was to give the students the opportunity to create something useful to the community, with a current and meaningful commission.
David Hobdey said: “We’re very grateful for the plaque and its beautiful craftmanship.
“We are delighted to have been able to provide Augustus with such a meaningful piece to make as part of his studies and one which will be appreciated by visitors to our new Garden of Remembrance for many years to come.”
St John’s Foundation is approaching its 850th year in 2024, and is the South West’s oldest charity.
