Following the Open Gardens event at the weekend, Sarah from EACH is here to share a few words…
I am writing to thank those of you who so generously supported our open gardens event on Saturday 6 June. As you know, we endured rain of biblical proportions and yet we still made £640 for our chosen charity: The dormouse appeal run by The Peoples Trust for Endangered Species. If you were unable to attend but would like to support the cause, it’s easy to donate online.
It made me proud to be British to welcome folks clad in raincoats with rain dripping off their noses clutching their soggy maps. They demonstrated true mettle and a great sense of humour! The promise of hot drinks, home made cakes and Pimm’s probably helped to spur them on.
Speaking of which, we are very grateful to the army of cake makers as well. Without you, the event would not be so special. Shout out to the Coney Hall WI!
The event is not a competition – it’s a chance to share ideas about how to encourage and support wildlife into our gardens. All of the participating gardens are different. Some are neat and some, like mine (below) are wild – but what we all have in common is a love of nature and a desire to keep our village beautiful and biodiverse.
To this end, I plan to interview participants and let you know what they are focusing on in their gardens. Common aims include the need to adapt to climate change, providing areas wild for pollinators, amphibians, small mammals and birds. This means loving ‘weeds’! Heart attack for some of you, I know.
Despite their differences, all of the gardens have ponds of differing sizes…
…because water is so important to the survival of all creatures. We also all have insect boxes and wood piles.
It is such a joyous community event. If you are interested in taking part next year and or you have an idea for a related charity, please do let me know. Don’t worry, you will not be committing yourself, it will just be a register of interest. Similarly, if you would like to know more about the work of EACH and Friends of the Park, feel free to message me, my email is below.
Help us to make Coney Hall a Pollinator Village. Be part of our growing
community.
Sarah Chant
sarahlouisechant@icloud.com
Coney Hall Village Residents' Association (CHVRA) 