A14 Viaduct Team Helps Veterans Turn Neglected Garden into Place of Recovery

Surplus materials and volunteer support from National Highways and its supply chain have transformed the grounds of a new Corby veterans’ centre into a welcoming space for reflection, connection and wellbeing.

Materials donated by the team behind the recently completed A14 Nene Viaduct maintenance scheme have helped create a new therapeutic garden for veterans and their families in Northamptonshire.

National Highways and its delivery partners supplied 250 sandbags, five tonnes of hardcore and 2.4 tonnes of topsoilto The Veteran’s Cottage, a new community centre in Corby offering recruitment support, networking opportunities and wellbeing services to former members of the armed forces.

Volunteers from Route One Infrastructure and HW Martin also supported the transformation, helping turn the materials into pathways, seating areas, landscaped borders and foundations for a monument and rockery.

The finished garden has been designed as a calm and welcoming environment where veterans, serving personnel and their families can meet, reflect and spend time together.

Military Inspiration Shapes Garden Design

The garden was designed by Garry, a 57-year-old former British Army serviceman from Corby who spent 12 years in the forces.

His plans incorporated sandbags into the landscaping, including a military-inspired wall feature and raised borders. After appealing for materials and practical support, the A14 project team stepped in to help bring the design to life.

Garry said the contribution had been vital to the project.

“The support was absolutely brilliant,” he said. “Without the donations, the charity simply would not have been able to achieve something like this.

“The garden was already a pleasant space, but it now has seating, colour and fragrance. It has become somewhere genuinely welcoming and relaxing for everyone.”

Road Project Leaves Community Legacy

The donations followed completion of National Highways’ work on the A14 Nene Viaduct, between Junction 10 at Islip and Junction 13 at Thrapston.

The maintenance programme replaced ageing and noisy bridge joints, improving the safety, reliability and driving quality of the structure.

The newly installed joints are understood to be the largest of their type on National Highways’ East Midlands network and represent a UK first.

They incorporate a quick-release system intended to simplify future maintenance and reduce the duration of closures, alongside noise-reducing plates designed to lessen the sound generated by vehicles passing over the viaduct.

Supporting Wellbeing Beyond the Highway

Simon Wagstaff, Project Manager at National Highways, said The Veteran’s Cottage provided important support for former service personnel across Northamptonshire.

He said: “The centre helps veterans with everything from employment and skills development to health and wellbeing.

“The garden transformation was a valuable project for us to support, and donating materials was a practical way for the team to make a lasting contribution.

“We want our schemes to leave a positive legacy in the communities where we work, and we are grateful to local people for their patience while the essential bridge improvements were carried out.”

A Place to Talk, Reflect and Reconnect

Veterans using the new garden have welcomed the transformation.

Dave Bryant, a former soldier and firefighter with 40 years of service, said the project demonstrated what could be achieved through patience and teamwork.

“This place proves that something neglected can become something beautiful when people come together with a bit of hope,” he said.

Jim Reilly, formerly of the Royal Anglian Regiment, added: “It is amazing what a few hours outside, a brew and some good company can do.”

Lasting Difference for a Small Charity

Catherine Slevin, founder of The Veteran’s Cottage, said the support had created an environment that would benefit the military community for years to come.

“The generosity shown by National Highways and its delivery partners has made a lasting difference,” she said.

“The materials have helped us create a welcoming space where veterans, serving personnel and their families can spend time together, reflect and enjoy the outdoors.

“As a small community organisation, support like this allows us to provide an environment that promotes recovery, wellbeing and connection. We are extremely grateful to everyone involved.”

National Highways says the project reflects its wider social-value commitments, which focus on economic prosperity, environmental improvement, community wellbeing and equality, diversity and inclusion.