A SPECIAL garden is being developed at a local primary school in honour of a much-loved teacher whose life was claimed by cancer.

Former pupils and colleagues of late Jill Jones, who was head at Kilmacolm Primary, have decided to build a special area decorated with plant tubs as a place of remembrance.

A task force will also tidy up picnic benches and the sensory garden.

Jill’s daughter Megan has visited the site and says it will be a fitting tribute to her mum.

Megan, 23, a nurse at Inverclyde Royal, said: “It’s nice when things like this happen and to know that people are still remembering mum.”

She and her older brother Scott, 26, an accountant, have spent the last couple of years trying to come to terms with the loss of their mum. 

Megan said: “I had just finished my second year of nursing when my mum passed away.

“It helped to get back to that and I threw myself into my studies.”

Megan has also kept in touch with the school and her mum’s old colleagues.

The school depute head Grace Reid has paid tribute to Jill and the contribution she made to the school community, and believes the memorial garden is a lovely way for staff and pupils to remember a special person.

Grace said: “Jill was a person who dedicated her whole teaching career to her pupils.

“She was very involved in the arts, drama and verse and specialised in speaking and elocution and she instilled that in the children.

“The children will be able to use this area as an imaginative play area, which is a fitting tribute to Jill’s memory.”

Jill had battled to beat breast cancer only for it to return in 2012 and she passed away surrounded by her family at Ardgowan Hospice two years later.

Although Kilmacolm Primary held a special place in her heart, Jill’s career spanned 30 years and also included posts at Craigieknowes Primary, Larkfield Primary and she served as depute head at King’s Oak. 

Nursery parent Paul Higginbotham, who works for SSE, offered to organise a team of volunteers to build the garden as part of the company’s Be the Difference volunterering scheme.

He has also raised £120 which SSE will match fund while the parent teacher fundraising group has donated £100.

As well as Paul, Grace wants to thank everyone helping to contribute to the garden, including Alan Milligan, the owner of AKM Joinery, who laid the framework and was on hand to give expert advice, and Greenock firm M & J Timber who provided the wood at a discounted price.