The UK’s largest family-run garden centre group, British Garden Centres is gearing up for its biggest fundraising effort yet for Garden Re-Leaf Day, which takes place this Friday 15th March. Fresh from its announcement that £60,000 has been raised for Greenfingers Charity over the past three years, the team has unveiled some exciting Garden Re-Leaf events to further increase this total across the country in its nationwide stores.
The only way is up for its flagship store, Brigg Garden Centre as an intrepid team of four will be climbing Mount Snowdon. Centre Manager, Ben Tomlinson, and Assistant Centre Manager, the gifts team, Jo-Anne Harbour-Martin and Maisie Fisher will join Haywood Andrews, to make the ascent of the highest mountain in Wales, an impressive 3,560 ft above sea level.
Meanwhile, at the other end of the country, Centre Manager, Kerrie Walker and colleague Lucy will be walking from Ramsgate Garden Centre to Herne Bay and back; a 30-mile journey along the beautiful Kent coastline to raise money to help Greenfingers continue its vital work, creating magical gardens for children’s hospices.
Other members of the British Garden Centres team will be putting their best foot forward on the Garden Re-Leaf South walk, which begins and ends at Tring Garden Centre. A team consisting of Phillippa Stubbs (Company Director), Ricky Towers (Group Restaurant Director), Amy Hennessy (PA to Company Director), Alex Bullock (Regional Manager), Andy Matthews (Garden Buyer), Phill Robinson (IT Director), Joanne Arnott (Restaurant Regional Manager) and Dan Aitken (Centre Team Member) will be walking the 20-mile route, which takes in beautiful country views, woodland and gentle rolling hills in the picturesque Chilterns.
Steve Descombe from Tring Garden Centre will also be using his pedal power by taking on a 25-mile circular route, starting from and ending at the store. Meanwhile, Ruthie from Brockworth Garden Centre is doing a 13-mile run around her local area.
As if that’s not enough, 61 British Garden Centres stores are pulling out all the stops with fundraising events taking place across the UK, from Bressingham to Carmarthen and Lytham St Annes to Wimborne. Customers visiting any British Garden Centre location on Garden Re-Leaf Day will have the opportunity to participate in various fundraising events, such as raffles, cake sales, tombolas and competitions.
Highlights include Wolseley Bridge’s fundraising bonanza activities of a staff car wash, guessing how many balloons are in the hot tub, guessing the name of the teddy, sponsored hair dye, treasure hunt, hamper raffle and guessing the weight of the potato sack.
Elsewhere, Woodthorpe Garden Centre is holding a staff quiz night, Bold Heath is hosting a coffee morning, Charlbury is raffling spring planters and running a second-hand book sale, Mirfield will be holding a Sponsored Pyjama Day, whilst Name the Teddy Bear and Guess the Number of Sweets competitions will be happening at Tarporley.
Visitors to Chipperfield will see its staff dressed in green, Osterley will be having a plant sale and bunny hunt for children, whilst Bournville and Bridgnorth will be using coffee grounds for good and offering them to gardeners for a small donation.
Amy Stubbs, Project and Development Manager at British Garden Centres said: “As always, we want to raise as much money as possible for Greenfingers across the whole group. This year we are asking centres to go the extra mile, as Greenfingers is celebrating its 25th anniversary. We want to go bigger than ever! Last year we raised £8,851 on Garden Re-leaf Day across the group but, this year, we are aiming to double that with a target for every centre to raise £250.”
Linda Petrons, Director of Fundraising and Communications at Greenfingers Charity added: British Garden Centres’ support for Greenfingers Charity and Garden Re-Leaf Day is invaluable, and we are extremely grateful. The ongoing contributions and fundraising have significantly impacted the charity's ability to create magical gardens for children's hospices across the UK. The generosity of British Garden Centres stores and customers has made a meaningful difference to the lives of those in need. We cannot wait to see the results of their activities and events.”
If you want to find out more about how to get involved in Greenfingers Garden Re-Leaf Day 2024, whether by putting on events in your garden centre, through sponsored solo activities or simply by donating, visit the website or email the Fundraising team: Fundraising@greenfingerscharity.org.uk.
