A SMALL group of dedicated volunteers that lovingly tend a popular green space are celebrating the latest addition to the area.

The Friends of MacAndrews Field commissioned local green wood furniture maker Peter Lanyon to build a new bench, in memory of J J MacAndrew.

Peter constructed the bench, with lots of help from members of the Friends, and last Wednesday it was installed at the northern edge of the field.

Peter also made a bench celebrating the field’s link with the Bedford Boys – a group of American soldiers that was stationed there prior to D-Day – which was installed last summer.

This latest addition celebrates the life and generosity of James Johnston MacAndrew, who lived at Lukesland until his death in 1915, and gave the field to the people of Ivybridge.

The construction of the bench involved more than 150 hours of work by Peter and volunteers including David Waterman and Nick Jones of the Friends. The back rest, made of oak felled on the site of the Hemerdon mine, was steam bent to mimic the shape of a boat – reflecting the shipping line that was the source of the MacAndrews fortune.

The seat of the bench is made from oak kindly donated by the Friends of Ham Woods in Plymouth, and the legs and spindles are sweet chestnut.

Friends chair Vera Dumbleton said: ‘J J MacAndrew did so much for the people of Harford, as it was then. As we’re finding out the history it’s nice to let people know. We’re also trying to get funding for a visitor board.’

The new bench was funded by the Friends, with help from Ivybridge Town Council and South Hams Council.