Northamptonshire Open Garden Scheme members raise record-breaking £68,000 for charities
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Green-fingered garden enthusiasts have helped to raise Northamptonshire’s biggest ever total to the UK National Garden Scheme (NGS) charity contributions.
The scheme sees members of the public pay to visit private gardens with gate money being given to charities nominated by owners.
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Hide AdAt the recent Northamptonshire National Garden Scheme garden owners’ lunch, 41 county garden openers were welcomed to announce the 2023 grand total.
Joint county organiser David Abbott, welcoming the garden openers, proudly reported the county had raised a ‘record-breaking amount’ of £68,000, contributing to the national sum of £3.4m.
He said: “This outstanding achievement has allowed us to donate a significant portion of this money to our beneficiary charities.”
Nationally, donations made were:
- £450,000 to each Marie Curie, Macmillan Cancer Trust, Hospice UK
- £425,000 to The Queen's Nursing Institute
- £350,000 to each Parkinsons UK and Carers Trust
- £541,000 to various gardener’s charities
- £387,960 to various garden and health charities
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Hide AdAwards were also presented to long-term supporters of the scheme. A certificate and an engraved brass sundial was given to Sir Ewan and Lady Harper of Titchmarsh House for opening their garden for 40 years. A certificate and engraved stainless steel hand fork was presented to Patricia Anderson of Greywalls in Farndish, for opening her garden for two decades.
The National Garden Scheme is also to have it's own garden at the RHS Chelsea flower show this year designed by Tom Stuart-Smith and funded by Project Giving Back.