A SPECIAL tea party was held at the Primrose Hospice on Tuesday (May 24) to celebrate the charity’s award-winning garden and to thank all those involved in the project.
‘Time is a Healer’, which scooped a bronze award and the prestigious ‘People’s Choice’ accolade, charted a child’s bereavement journey, illustrating the confusing and challenging time. Each of the areas represented commonly experienced feelings and moods they go through.
It was created by Wilson Associates Garden Design and designed by Martyn Wilson.
At Tuesday’s get-together, there was tea, coffee and a selection of cakes and those spearheading the creation gave proud speeches of thanks.
The garden was conceived following discussions between Primrose Hospice’s CEO Helen Briscoe and Martyn.
The aim of the garden was to raise the Primrose’s profile and, specifically, its bereavement service for children which was launched three years ago. The start-up grant funding it is now ending and the Primrose will have to raise £50,000-a-year to secure its long-term future.
The Primrose’s presence in Malvern also saw £3,000 generated over four days from kind-hearted donations and the selling of items.
In her speech Helen said the project had achieved its aim, gaining the charity media coverage in local and national newspapers, on regional TV, on the RHS and Three Counties websites and even in horticultural magazines.
She read out congratulatory letters from Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid and Redditch MP Karen Lumley and paid tribute to everyone who played their part.
“All I can say is I want to say a massive massive thank you.”
She praised and thanked Martyn for designing the garden, his wife Donna for the way she supported him throughout the project, all the staff and volunteers and all the sponsors, specifically Kendrick Homes.
“They got the ball rolling and without their cheque, we would not have got to where we did.”
Martyn thanked Helen for inviting him to create the garden and everyone who worked so hard, including the landscapers and gardeners who gave up their time at discounted rates or for free.
“I always like to do show gardens with a story behind them, which this one had – I just hope I got that message across.”
He talked about creating show gardens being a nine-month process from the initial plans to choosing the right plants and then finding the growers who had not only the right plants but the ones which were in flower or about to flower at the right time for the show.
He also spoke of his pride at winning the ‘People’s Choice’ award.
“The public’s feedback is always more rewarding than the judges’,” he said.
Anyone wanting to contribute to the Primrose Hospice’s appeal for funding for the Children’s Bereavement Service can still do so by texting PRIM16 £ and the amount they want to donate to 70070.
