WINCHESTER MP Steve Brine has given his backing to a call to create a memorial garden in a Hampshire village.

The MP met with those behind the project – which they’d like to realise on a small piece of MoD land adjacent to the recreation ground car park in South Wonston - recently and is liaising on their behalf with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation.

Residents in South Wonston have long complained they have nowhere in their own community to remember a loved one.

South Wonston Parish Council has been working to fix that. It also wants to create a small orchard and allotment to meet demand from residents.

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Hampshire Chronicle: L-R: Cllr Ann Peal (Vice-Chair of South Wonston Parish Council), Cllr June Perrins (Chair), Rachael

Cllr June Perrins, chair of the parish council, said: “For more than 20 years South Wonston Parish Council has been searching for a modest plot of land within the parish boundary that would facilitate the provision of two key community amenities, a memorial orchard and ‘parish owned’ allotments.

“The community is fully behind this project, it offers a chance to have a rewilding area with a small orchard and allotments that will allow residents to obtain valuable home-grown, sustainable produce.

“Sadly, to date, every attempt to enter into any negotiation with the Defence Infrastructure Organisation has hit a brick wall and the tenant farmer seems unwilling to negotiate, we are only asking for around three acres of long-standing fallow land.”

Mr Brine added: “Some ideas just make perfect sense, and this is one of them.

"The memorial garden in particular is a lovely idea and will bring so much comfort to many people. The Parish Council contacted me and asked for my help so I got up there as soon as possible and will do all I can to help them realise their plans for the benefit of villagers in South Wonston.”