GARDEN TAKES ROOT AT HOSTEL FOR MEN
NESTLED behind Ozanam House Hostel on Thomas Street in Wexford sits a new community garden called ‘Wild Ozzie’s’ which is beginning to take root.
The new feature has come to life thanks to the help of Forth Mountain resident and landscape designer Aly McNeill.
She has helped the St Vincent de Paul to bring it to fruition and she is hoping that it will continue to grow and flourish in the coming months.
‘We want the garden to be a place of calm, sanctuary and laughter for the men. We would also like it to be a place they feel they can do some gardening,’ she explained.
‘Some of the men in the hostel have directly shown their willingness to help by helping with some of the more physical work in the garden.’
Aly christened the garden ‘Wild Ozzie’s’ after being inspired by a story about a badly injured eagle called Ozzie. The eagle was taken into rehabilitation for six months before he was set free once again.
‘Ozanam House offers much the same sort of support to the men in the hostel so I felt it was very apt to give the garden this name,’ said Aly.
At present, Aly and others at Ozanam House are excavating a large area where they intend to have a fire pit.
It will be a place where men in the hostel can join with staff for special occasions and perhaps even drumming workshops and pizza nights.
‘In future when Wild Ozzie’s is up and thriving, we would like to be able to invite the local schools in to do some gardening projects,’ said Aly.