School creates a memorial garden; EDUCATION: Tranquil spot provides a place for remembrance and quiet thought.

Byline: Lucy Lynch

A QUIET garden in the middle of a busy Coventry secondary school has been created to remember former pupils and staff members who have died.

The Headmaster's Memorial Garden, at Bablake School, was dedicated by the Rt Rev John Stroyan, Bishop of Warwick, as a place for reading, reflection and quiet talks.

Relatives and friends of former pupils and staff who have died were invited to the service. Some gave readings and the school choir sang an Irish blessing.

Since the garden was dedicated last month, it has become a haven of peace for pupils who need a moment of quiet in the busy school.

Pam Uppal, 17, a sixth former who gave a reading at the service, said: "It's somewhere quiet and you don't get many quiet places in a school. It was a very moving service not just for the friends and relatives but for everyone who was there." The garden is special for fellow sixth former Daniel Lawrence, 17, because his grandfather John Lawrence, a former teacher, is one of those remembered in the garden. Daniel said: "It's a very nice way to remember him." A fountain in the centre of the garden has a plaque remembering Deepesh Patel who died in a road accident in London in 2007, several years after he had left the school.

Harvey Antrobus who died aged 28 in an air crash near Coombe Park last year is remembered in the garden along with Krystyna Beech who died in 2003, aged 20, after a fall while out walking.

Chris Mellers, head of religious studies at the school, in Radford, said: "We had some quite moving letters and cards from people afterwards.

"The Bishop gave a gentle but powerful service and the choir sang an Irish blessing with the words, 'may the wind be always at your back', just as a gentle breeze blew through."

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TRIBUTE... Pupils Daniel Lawrence, Pam Uppal, Jonathan Smith and Ami Shirley, all aged 17.