FIREFIGHTERS at the town’s station are on a mission to create a peaceful garden to tackle mental health issues.

The London Road facility currently has a patch of green space but over the last few years it has become unloved and is in need of the community’s help.

The plan is to create a safe environment where emergency services personnel can relax, talk freely and try to alleviate stress levels. However due to budgets the station have no funds to facilitate this.

Spearheading the project, firefighter David Evans said: “We go to quite a lot of traumatic incidents, even when we are not going to these it can be stressful on your job. We have no spaces to be left alone to talk to each to other. The garden would be the place where we could talk.”

David added: “If we could do something we would have a place and a contact point for people to come down and talk, it is quite hard asking for help then thinking about where you are going to go to have a talk — this will be a nice safe environment within the fire station.”

It is not only the crew that the garden would be open to but to their families, other emergency services and organisations.

But the vision for the garden will not become a reality without the help of the community and local businesses.

The station is asking for people to donate materials and furniture to help create the imagined space.

“We were hoping if people could donate materials that would make a big difference to us,” David said.

Crew manager Rob Cable added: “We would give up our own time, and our families would come in to help build it. It will be nice to get some of that back — for everyone to know each other families.”

The crew has started to clear the garden, with David already having a plan in mind of how he wants the garden to look, but the firefighters have said they will accept all donations.

It is hoped that the garden will also have a vegetable patch, along with a barbecue and new seating.

David said: “The feedback from the crew has been really positive, we really want to be self sufficient with vegetables.”

The garden will provide an outside space for groups that hire the station to get together.

To donate email David.Evans@hantsfire.gov.uk.