Award-winning North Lincolnshire park gets new centrepiece in Samaritans link-up

The circular flowerbed at the centre of Kingsway Gardens is being replanted and renamed Kingsway Samaritans.

The park, one of three green spaces in North Lincolnshire to have been awarded Green Flag status, provides a stunning welcome to people coming into Scunthorpe from the M180, and will now offer a place for relaxation and contemplation.

The planting will involve a central yucca surrounded by four cypress pencil trees and a circle of acers and magnolias. The edges will have trailing bedding plants and the whole bed will be framed with 450 roses.

Angela Jones, Director, Scunthorpe Samaritans, said: “We are very excited and proud to be working in partnership with North Lincolnshire Council to develop the Samaritans garden in Kingsway Gardens.

“Parks and gardens provide spaces where individuals can think, contemplate and reflect.

“They are also great places for people to come together in groups to walk and talk and support each other.

“As Samaritans, we fully support any initiatives that help create these opportunities. We look forward to seeing Kingsway Samaritans in full bloom and being enjoyed by the residents of North Lincolnshire.”

The Samaritans are available 24-hours a day, seven days a week, if you need someone to talk to who will listen without judgement or pressure.

They were founded in 1953 by Chad Varah, who was born in Barton in 1911.

The Scunthorpe Branch of The Samaritans opened in 1963 and Chad’s brother became the first director.

There are now 200 Samaritans branches across the UK and the Republic of Ireland and more than 20,000 volunteers.

The Samaritans respond to around 10,000 calls for help every day, and people using the helpline report a significant reduction in distress.

The Scunthorpe branch, based on Lindum Street, has no paid staff and more than 70 volunteers.

Contact The Samaritans on 116 123 free from any phone or 0330 094 5717 (local call charges apply) or go to www.samaritans.org/ if you need help or are interested in volunteering.