Northamptonshire open gardens help as £3m raised nationally for good causes

Garden lovers across Northamptonshire raised £49,000 towards good causes by taking part in this year's National Garden Scheme (NGS).

Adding to the UK total of just over £3m, next year's participants have already been lined up and promise 142 beautiful gardens including one new group and 25 new ones to enjoy.

The lion’s share, £2,557,500, will go to some of the UK’s best-loved nursing and health charities, many of which have provided vital support to the NHS and communities across the UK throughout the Covid-19 pandemic.

David Abbott, joint county organiser NGS (Northamptonshire), said: "We are extremely grateful to our owners who enable us to raise the much needed funds for our beneficiaries. After the challenges of the past two years, we are looking forward to opening our gardens in a more normal manner.

"After the difficulties of 2020 and early 2021 we are delighted that 142 beautiful gardens including one new group and 25 new gardens have agreed to open for us in Northamptonshire this coming year.

"Northamptonshire raised £49,000 towards the figure of £3,030,272 that has been donated to our beneficiary charities in 2021 which includes £525,000 going to Marie Curie and £500,000 to Macmillan Cancer support.

"The figures tell the story of a rapid and remarkable recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic, made more impressive by the fact that Covid-19 has continued to have an impact throughout 2021.

"The achievement is down to all of our garden owners and visitors who have been happy to get out and enjoy the gardens on offer. Our beneficiaries have already expressed enormous thanks to all of you, summed up in a comment from Paul Jackson-Clark at Parkinson’s UK: “Thank you, thank you so much. What an amazing year NGS garden owners have had. Quite remarkable. We are so lucky to have their and your support.”

Northamptonshire National Garden Scheme opens gardens throughout the county, working with a team of ten volunteers. Anyone interested in opening their garden for the charity should contact the county organisers David Abbott ([email protected]) or Gay Webster ([email protected]).

An online virtual brochure has been published with a guide to NGS open gardens for 2022. Click here to see the flip book.

National Garden Scheme chairman Rupert Tyler said: “At a time when the collective activities and contributions of our beneficiaries in supporting the national endeavour continued to put unbearable pressure on many aspects of their work, we are delighted to be able to continue our support in such a meaningful way.”

The National Garden Scheme relies primarily on the income generated by admissions at its garden gates and through the sale of plants, tea and cakes. In 2021, the donations amounted to 90 per cent of funds raised in gardens being shared with beneficiaries.

The year of 2021 also saw the National Garden Scheme celebrate 25 years of continued partnership and over £20m of combined donations to three of its beneficiaries – Marie Curie, Hospice UK and Carers Trust.

Applications for Community Gardens Award grants, that will receive funding in spring 2022, were relaunched in November 2021. You can apply here.