Cotgrave residents attended the official opening of the Dr Alex Macdonald Memorial bench on Saturday 20 July.
Dr Alex Macdonald (known to everyone as Dr Mac) was a GP in Cotgrave for over 25 years until September 2020 and then following his untimely death in 2021, the people of Cotgrave spontaneously raised £4,818 in his memory.
The family of Dr Mac had asked if the money could be used to create a small garden near the surgery at the Cotgrave Hub, a place for people to visit and have a moment’s peace, perhaps before or after a medical appointment.
Dr Mac’s family, with the support of Rushcliffe Borough Council enlisted a local artist, Richard Janes, to be commissioned to produce a beautiful bench decorated with images from Dr Mac’s life and things he loved in his life. The bench has been incorporated in the Rushcliffe Borough Council’s public realm improvement scheme and includes a new footpath heading towards the surgery. Cotgrave Town Council has kindly agreed to provide the maintenance for the area.
The bench has been designed with space for a wheelchair at the heart of the design, Dr Mac was very involved with the local school who teach children with complex needs and the local nursing homes.