A HOMECOMING took place in Blackbird Leys this month as the family of popular local figure Barbara Gatehouse were shown a memorial garden in her honour.

On a chilly December morning Mrs Gatehouse's daughter Kay, as well as her sister-in-law, sister and son-in-law, toured the newly-planted green oasis in Blackbird Leys Park.

It commemorates the former city and county councillor, who lived in Sawpit Road for 20 years, as well as her contemporaries Carole Roberts and Val Smith.

Kay, who now lives in Headington, said: "It was lovely. I understand there's going to be an official opening but it was nice to have a sneak preview of it.

"It's good to see my mum in that company, with her colleagues and her dear friend Val.

"To think there will be a little oasis of pleasure there even if people don't know what their contribution to the estate was, is a really lovely feeling."

Barbara, a Labour stalwart who spent 40 years in local politics and served as Lord Mayor of Oxford, died aged 89 on January 12 this year.

She was remembered as a 'formidable campaigner' championing housing for all and building community relations.

Kay added: "It was the first time my mum's siblings had all come back to Oxford. I want to emphasise our gratitude that the parish council have done this."

Each of the three women remembered in the garden has a wooden bench in her honour, carved at the Dunnock Way social enterprise Raw Workshop.

Mrs Roberts, who lived in Clematis Place and died last August, empowered hundreds of people from the Rose Hill and Donnington Advice Centre while Val Smith, thought of as 'Mrs Blackbird Leys', campaigned on behalf of Leys residents and died last May. Both also served as Lord Mayor of Oxford and as city and county councillors.

The garden also features a pink flowered hawthorn tree, shrubs and grasses arranged in a circle for families and walkers to sit in. It is set to be formally opened in March.

Blackbird Leys Parish Council came up with the idea of the garden and created it with the help of Oxford City Council over the course of November.

Chairman Gordon Roper said: "Everybody that turned up said how nice it looked, and they were really pleased and impressed.

"I had known Barbara for 40-odd years. We were not only colleagues at meetings but good friends; I used to call her the old war-horse.

"Carole lived about 100 yards away from me and we always got on very well. She was always fighting the corner of children and the homeless.

"Everybody is pleased with the garden. The city council has done a good job of it."