WALTON OPEN GARDENS GROUP

RAISING FUNDS for gardening charities and local community planting
Text Box: Walton Open Gardens Day is organised by the Walton Open Gardens Group, a small group of amateur gardener volunteers who open their private gardens to the public for one afternoon each year. All of the gardens are located between Walton-on-Thames town centre and the River Thames. The objective of the day, and the group, is to raise funds for gardening charities and local community planting. Text Box: In 2007 we attracted over 340 visitors raising £1,100 which was used to clear and plant some of the flowerbeds in Riverhouse Gardens overlooking the river Thames. In 2008 we again enjoyed stunning weather which brought 370 visitors to nine gardens, raising more than £1,200. In 2009 we were able to raise a further £1,000 which we combined with the previous year’s funds to purchase 8 trees in Bridge Street. These were Carpinus Betulus ‘Frans Fontaine’ and Malus ‘Rudolph’. This year, 2011, visitors viewed 10 gardens, 6 of which were new to the group. Despite the weather forecast we were able to attract over 240 visitors and raised over £1,000. We have been able to donate £500 towards Thrives ’Journey Garden’. At present we are also considering ways of contributing towards local planting for 2012 and planning a refurbishment of the Riverhouse beds. Text Box: Walton Open Gardens Group gratefully acknowledges the valuable 2011 sponsorship of:

Photographs of 2011 gardens by Trish Gant

Text Box: McDONAGH & COMPANY CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS Text Box: THRIVE A small group of Walton Open Gardens members visited Thrive, the society for Horticultural Therapy, on 27th October 2011 near Reading. We were welcomed and shown around the gardens by Fiona Rackham. Everyone was very impressed by the organisation and work of the Society, promoting gardening for a diverse range of disabled people aged between 14 and 85. Text Box: Judy McRae, organiser of Walton Open Gardens Group, presenting a cheque for £500 to Fiona Rackham of Thrive .

NEW ORGANISER NEEDED………………….

Our Walton Open Gardens Group are urgently looking for a new voluntary organiser for Walton Open Gardens Day to take over from 2011.  New ideas are very welcome! A present member would be happy to continue managing the publicity side of the event. If you are interested, please contact Judy McRae at judymcrae@talktalk.net., or tel. 01932  241803.

THRIVE:            Tel:                    0118 988 5688

                          Email:                info@thrive.org.uk

                          Website:            www.thrive.org.uk