Some projects grow flowers. Others grow friendships, community, and hope.

For more than 25 years, Françoise M. and Jeffrey B. have dedicated themselves to fostering understanding and cooperation among people of different faiths through their involvement with the Watford Interfaith Association (WIFA). Their long-standing commitment reflects True Parents’ emphasis on interfaith dialogue as an essential foundation for lasting peace.

When they first joined WIFA, acceptance did not come overnight. Over the years, however, they earned the trust and respect of the wider community. Jeffrey eventually became a committee member and later Chair of the association, while Françoise stepped forward as Treasurer in 2006, a role she continues to hold today.

One of their most significant achievements has been the creation and development of the Watford Peace Garden.

Established with the support of Watford’s faith communities, the project began in 2013 when half an acre of land in Cassiobury Park Community Garden was allocated for a shared interfaith initiative. Together with WIFA Secretary Judith B., Françoise and Jeffrey helped transform an overgrown plot into a flourishing space dedicated to peace, reflection, and community.

The project brought together people from many backgrounds. Volunteers from the Ahmadiyya Muslim community were among the first to help clear the land, while local organisations, civic leaders, faith communities, and residents all contributed to its development. Through Françoise’s efforts, a grant from Watford Borough Council helped launch the project, and many others donated their time, resources, plants, and trees.

Officially inaugurated in March 2018, the Peace Garden has since become a treasured part of the town. Among its unique features are a Peace Arch, a meditation labyrinth, a peace dove flower bed, a Peace Pole, and several symbolic trees, including a millennium yew and a ginkgo tree planted in honour of True Father's centenary.

Yet the garden's greatest impact cannot be measured by its landscape alone.

Every week, volunteers gather to maintain the garden, creating a community where people find friendship, support, and purpose. Over the years, individuals facing homelessness, addiction recovery, and personal hardship have found encouragement and belonging through working alongside others. What began as a gardening project has become a place where lives are nurtured as carefully as the plants themselves.

The Peace Garden has also become a spiritual gathering place for the wider community. It regularly hosts prayer gatherings, vigils, and moments of solidarity in response to world events and local challenges. People of all faiths and those with no faith affiliation come together there to reflect, pray, and seek peace.

In recognition of its contribution to the town, the Watford Peace Garden received the Audentior Civic Awards 2025 – Pride in Watford Award.

At the entrance to the garden stands a simple message:

"Peace begins with me."

Through decades of faithful service, Françoise M. and Jeffrey B. have helped turn those words into reality. Their dedication demonstrates how patient investment in relationships, community, and shared purpose can create a lasting legacy of peace for generations to come.

We are grateful for their example, and for the countless hours they have devoted to serving both their local community and God's vision of one human family.

Learn More

Watford Peace Garden Facebook Page
https://www.facebook.com/WatfordPeaceGarden

Watford Interfaith Association (WIFA)
https://www.wifa.org.uk

Watford Peace Garden
https://www.wifa.org.uk/peacegarden