9 October 2016 - Open Gardens for Weldmar
Dear all,
Claire Pullinger, a Community Fundraiser for Weldmar Hospicecare Trust, has sent us the following email. I think it is fully self explanatory and for a very good cause, so if you would like to help, do so via the contact details at the end of her email.
Regards
Chris
Dear Sutton Poyntz Open Gardens,
We are looking for people who would be interested in opening their gardens in aid of Weldmar Hospicecare Trust.
In 2017 we are launching a new Open Gardens scheme and are looking for gardens of interest and character across the county of Dorset, which can be opened to the public to raise money for the hospice. The gardens can be of all shapes, sizes and styles, a normal backyard, a cottage garden or a walled garden in the grounds of a stately home. We are just looking for a welcoming garden which can offer a wonderful place for visitors to look around and enjoy the flowers, vegetables and wildlife and maybe have a chat about the features and planting. We would like a small selection of refreshments to be made available, tea, coffee and a delicious homemade cake, which will encourage more visitors to drop in as well as charging a small entry fee.
The choice of day or days throughout the months of April to September 2017, in which the garden would be open is up to the garden owners to decide, we would just require notice of dates and facilities offered by the middle of this coming November. We will be able to offer support in the form of posters and signs and all the gardens will feature in our catalogue which will be distributed to across the county from January 2017.
Opening a garden to the public can be a very rewarding experience and has proved to be a huge success across the country with organisations like NGS raising millions for charity. It can be a really fun day with visitors asking lots of questions and sharing their own gardening experiences and tips which can be very rewarding. A deadline will encourage the completion of those jobs which would otherwise be put off and as it is all for charity people will not be expecting a show garden but rather a lovely place to visit and the opportunity see gardens normally kept behind closed doors.
Each year sees us supporting more patients and their loved ones, care which is provided free of charge. To continue funding our services we need to raise money through our communities. Opening a garden for Weldmar will be a straightforward way of supporting your local hospice as well as being a rewarding experience.
For more information and to register a garden please contact
Yours Sincerely
Claire Pullinger