Greenwood Community update: March 2024
2024 has already begun with a flourish for Greenwood Community, our charity programme that donates plants to worthy causes, to give back to our local community, and help encourage biodiversity. We’re aiming to make 24 Greenwood Community donations in 2024, and six donations have already been made to partner organisations, with several more planned for coming weeks and months.
Barnham Community Garden
Our first donation of 2024 went to a brand new project being led by Barnham parish council. We supplied a selection of mixed shrubs and herbaceous plants to their new community garden back in February of this year. The garden is part of a larger redevelopment of Murrell’s field, including playing fields, and a BMX pump track, all situated adjacent to Barnham Community Hall. The project is run exclusively by volunteers, who are aiming to develop a green space for the local community to enjoy.
Our initial donation is the first of what we’re hoping to be an ongoing partnership as the garden progresses, and we’re excited to see what the future brings to this local project.
Chestnut Tree House, Arundel
Our second donation this year was to Chestnut Tree House, a children’s hospice located near Arundel, that is connected to the larger St Barnabas Hospice, to which we have donated in the past. The Hospice was built in 2001, and provides a safe place and care for children with terminal illnesses. Between families’ own homes and the hospice itself, Chestnut Tree House cares for around 300 children a year, providing much needed support and care. Greenwood initially donated 50 mixed plants in February, including grasses, shrubs and perennials, to be planted in various locations around the hospice grounds. In late March however, we donated a further 250 bare root whips for hedging to contribute to the project. The plants were received gratefully, and we’re looking forward to making further contributions to the hospice in the future.
Chichester Youth Adventure Trust
Towards the end of February, the Chichester Youth Adv. Trust collected their latest donation from Greenwood Community. The trust have been frequent collaborators with the scheme since we launched it back in 2021, receiving plants for various projects across the region. The latest donation has gone to Tyle Morgrug, their hostel and activity centre, located at the heart of the Breacon Beacons in Wales, a project to which we also sent a donation last year. Tyle Morgrug is a bunkhouse, that was first built all the way back in the 1840s, and was used as a farm, on several acres of surrounding land. This was the case up until 1966, when the farm was sold to The Forestry Commission, who subsequently sold the land on. The bunkhouse remained abandoned until 1984, when it was sold to the Chichester Youth Adventure Trust, who have maintained the property up until today. For Greenwood’s latest community offering, we donated a number of young trees, to be planted on a plot of land that is being turned into a woodland area. It is hoped that by adding trees and plants to this plot of land, it will encourage biodiversity, and bring more wildlife into the green space. John Robbins of the trust said “we’re extremely grateful to Greenwood for their generosity over the years, and in particular, for their latest contribution. The project is progressing nicely and we look forward to seeing the trees grow, providing a safe space for all different types of wildlife”
St Philip Howard Catholic School, Barnham
In March of this year, we donated a variety of plants to the Philip Howard Catholic School in Barnham. The school is situated very near to our Fresh Acres nursery site, and is at the heart of the local community, from which many of our team benefit. The plants will be used to create a garden for the children to enjoy, improving the local green spaces, helping to encourage wildlife to the area, and increasing biodiversity. Dan Macnamara, who teaches at the school and collected the plants from us, said: “The plants will provide the children with visual interest and enjoyment for years to come. We’re grateful to Greenwood for their generosity, and look forward to working with them in the future”
North Mundham Primary School
Our fifth community donation of the year was to North Mundham Primary School near Chichester. The school was first opened in 1875 and has served the local community ever since. In recent years, they operate as an OPAL school, which stands for Outdoor Play and Learning. Not only that, but they even have their own forest classroom, from which they conduct several lessons a day. In March of this year, the school collected 20 mixed plants from our Community Manager, Kevin Merritt. The plants will be installed in various locations around the school, and will be planted by the school’s very own gardening club. The club aims to teach the children valuable horticultural skills at an early age, and encourages the children to appreciate their local ecosystems, and the spend more time outdoors. Tim Douglas, who is a governor for the school, said “on behalf North Mundham, we’d like to thank Greenwood for the plants, which have been very gratefully received. The students have enjoyed making decisions on where to plant them around the grounds, and are excited to see them grow.”
It’s been a busy start to the year for Greenwood Community, and in the coming months we hope to compound upon the work we’ve done already, as we aim for our goal of 24 community donations by the end of the month.
If you know of a project that you’d like to nominate for a community donation, get in touch with us today, by emailing hello@greenwoodplants.co.uk