Gardening group needs your help
APIONEERING project set up by three friends who met as a result of their shared experience of having cancer treatment are gearing up to launch their second community garden – this time in Widnes – and need help in bring the idea to life.
The Wonky Garden’s group’s first foray into brightening up the streets of Halton was in Runcorn in a joint-scheme with Halton Housing Trust but they have turned their talents to the grounds of Halton Farnworth Hornets Rugby Club on Wilmere Lane.
Founded by Sue Hulme, Angela Hayler and Amanda Prescott, the project will be placing the emphasis on fun and working together to nurture vibrant space with a rich abundance of flowers, fruit and vegetables plus contemplation and sensory areas for relaxation.
Sue, Angela and Amanda said are now fundraising hard to make it a reality but said volunteers will be critical to making the second Wonky Garden a success from site design and construction to sowing, growing, harvesting and once the produce is ripened – selling.
The first fundraiser is taking place from 1-5pm this Friday and Saturday, at Halton Farnworth Hornets Rugby Club.
Proceeds will be split between The Wonky Garden and Macmillan.
Sue said: “The Wonky Garden is not about perfection but more about providing opportunities for community involvement, preventing social isolation and combating loneliness, sharing knowledge and expertise, improving physical health and mental wellbeing, building life skills, bringing together different generations of volunteers to engage in their surroundings and develop a closer community, including people with physical and mental health issues.
“But most of all, it’s about having fun. It’s about creating a space that you have helped design and you want to spend time in.
“Volunteers can make a real difference, helping to design and construct the gardens as well as getting your hands dirty.
“Anyone can attend, no matter how young or old, how much or how little they know about gardening and we will welcome visitors that simply want to enjoy the company and have a chat. ●
“And it’s not all about growing things and gardening, we welcome volunteers with general DIY skills, some lifting and shifting, creating arty crafty structures or even baking a cake or two.
“We’ll provide year-round educational sessions for volunteers, to maintain interest.
“We will have access to meeting rooms on site so we can have speakers to hold fun design workshops, explain how to plan and grow food groups, basics of flower arranging, cookery classes, etc.”
To volunteer call Sue on 07462 339 340.