Rotary Club of Shrewsbury GUEST SPEAKER – Mrs Chris Neil
Mrs Chris Neil with Rotary Club of Shrewsbury President John Siviter At the Rotary Club of Shrewsbury luncheon on 20 January 2016 our speaker was Mrs Chris Neil, organiser of the National Gardens Scheme in Shropshire. We discovered some intriguing facts about the origins of the scheme; William Rathbone, a wealthy Liverpudlian philanthropist, was the originator and he set it up in 1860 to provide support for nursing care in Liverpool. The idea was taken up by Queen Victoria; patron of the Queen’s Nursing Institute, and the influence of other notable and formidable ladies such as Elsie Wagg and the Duchess of Richmond and Gordon ensured its continued success. When the advent of the National Health Service rendered it redundant, the scheme turned to supporting to a range of charities to do with health care. Macmillan, Marie Curie and Help for Hospices are amongst those benefiting from financial help. The National Gardens Scheme raises around £3 million a year, with £65.000 coming from Shropshire alone. We had a photographic tour of the Shropshire gardens that are open, with some interesting details about them and the impressive teas that are served. There will be 45 gardens open in Shropshire in 2016, and they all look delicious. The presentation was given with a light touch and was amusing as well as informative. Chris Neil is a natural and talented speaker. Details about the scheme are available at: www.ngs.org.uk and in the Yellow Book and local leaflets. Summary report by Rtn Ros McCarthy