Twin opens Sleaford school garden after brother died from cancer

Harry Parkhill, in Osbournby, Lincolnshire

BBC Joshua in his school uniform is flanked by his parents BBC

Joshua, 11, (pictured with his parents) cut the ribbon to open a garden dedicated to his twin brother

The twin brother of a boy who died from cancer has officially opened a memorial garden in his name.

James was diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumour at the age of two.

After multiple surgeries, rounds of chemotherapy and reoccurences of the cancer, he died in February 2022 aged eight.

James’ twin Joshua said his brother “would have loved” the garden dedicated to him at Osbournby Primary School near Sleaford.

A very low-angled shot of The Cheshire Cat from Disney's Alice in Wonderland painted onto an artificial grass pitch

The garden features multiple iterations of The Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland

The school community raised money and offered free labour to create the garden because James loved outdoor garden lessons.

The garden features multiple references to the Cheshire Cat from Alice in Wonderland which was James’ favourite cartoon character.

It was also built with children’s wheelchair access in mind.

Joshua cut a ribbon decorated with Cheshire Cats to officially open the garden.

He said: “I think he would have loved it. He loved The Cheshire Cat and that’s a big theme around the garden. There’s a lot of purple, pink, statues and imagery of The Cheshire Cat in general.”

“I feel very thankful and grateful for everyone who’s helped make this dream a reality,” Joshua added.

Heather Bide with black glasses and wearing a blue blazer smiles broadly at the camera with a garden decorated with pink balloons in the background

Headteacher Heather Bide says the garden means James will always be a part of the school

James and Joshua’s dad Carl said it was “really lovely” to have the volunteers and contributors to the garden at the ceremony.

“Knowing that other children can enjoy it in James’s memory will mean the world to us forever to come,” he said.

Osbournby Primary School headteacher Heather Bide said: “We have been completely overwhelmed by the local community and local businesses, who’ve come together in a way we couldn’t have imagined and what we’ve ended up with is beyond our wildest dreams.

“It is the hardest thing to go through, losing a pupil at your school. We just felt we wanted to do something that would be a lasting memory that would mean that James will always be part of our school.”

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