Category Lister

<div class='category-grid'>
<?php
if($_collectionSize):
    $i=0;
    $layer = Mage::getSingleton('catalog/layer');
    ?>
    <ul class="products-grid">
    <?php
    foreach ($_categories as $_category):

        $layer->setCurrentCategory($_category);
        $_category = Mage::getModel('catalog/category')->load($_category->getId());


        $products = Mage::getModel('catalog/product')->getCollection()
                                                ->addCategoryFilter($_category)
                                                ->addAttributeToSort('price', 'asc')
                                                ->setPageSize(1)
                                                ->load();

        $prod = $products->getFirstItem();
        $lowestProductPrice = $taxHelper->getPrice($prod, $prod->getPrice(), true, null, null, null, null, false);
        $formattedPrice = Mage::helper('core')->currency($lowestProductPrice, true, false);

            //$originalCategory->getThumbnail();
             $_img = ($_category->getThumbnail()) ? "/media/catalog/category/".$_category->getThumbnail() : "/media/placeholders/small.jpg";
             $_img = Mage::getBaseUrl() . $_img;
        ?>
                    <li class="item <?php if(($i-1)%$_columnCount==0): ?> first<?php elseif($i%$_columnCount==0): ?> last<?php endif; ?>">
                        <a href="<?php echo $_category->getUrl(); ?>" title="<?php echo $_category->getName(); ?>" class="product-image">
                            <?php if($_img):?>
                                <img src="<?php echo $_img; ?>" alt="<?php echo $_category->getName();?>" />
                            <?php else:?>
                                <?php echo $_category->getName();?>
                            <?php endif;?>
                        </a>
                        <div class="product-detail">
                            <h2 class="product-name"><a href="<?php echo $helper->getCategoryUrl($_category); ?>" title="<?php echo $this->stripTags($_category->getName(), null, true) ?>"><?php echo $_category->getName(); ?></a></h2>

                        </div>
                    </li>
    <?php endforeach; ?>
    </ul>
<?php else: ?>
<p><?php echo $this->__('No categories found.'); ?></p>
<?php endif ?>
</div>