Money Matters

Can you get involved with THE BIG BUILD 2020?

The social enterprise Up The Garden Bath has been challenged by the environmental charity PECT to transform an underused area of green space, in the west of Peterborough, into a new garden. The aim is to create a multi-use area that can be used to grow produce, host educational workshops, and attract wildlife.

The plan is for the garden to include innovative vertical planters to make the most of the available space. There will also be bathtub planters to create growing areas at a height that is easily accessible for all volunteers and children. Stuart Dawks, Director of Operations at PECT said: “We really want to demonstrate how unwanted materials can be given a new lease of life and become useful, rather than just being discarded and sent to landfill. We also want to create a community growing area that shows how everyone can create a garden with just the smallest of budgets.” PECT is a grassroots organisation that educates, inspires, and motivates individuals and organisations to change their behaviour to deliver a positive environmental impact. The charity specialises in using eco education and awareness-raising to encourage behaviour change and collective action. The organisation approached Up The Garden Bath about transforming the area, knowing the social enterprise’s reputation for taking old and discarded materials and upcycling them into ready made garden planters and accessories. Up The Garden Bath strives to use 100% recycled and unwanted materials to give them a new lease of life and for environmental benefit. “Our aim is to renovate the area using only recycled, unwanted, donated materials and with the help and support of willing volunteers,” explains Dave Poulton, Founder of Up The Garden Bath. “We want to prove that – with a little creativity, imagination and a collaborative approach – gardening can be accessible and affordable for everyone.”

The social enterprise is calling for volunteers and donations of materials for the project. If you’d like to get involved, please contact Up The Garden Bath via info@upthegardenbath.co.uk or online at www.upthegardenbath.co.uk. For more information about PECT, visit www.pect.org.uk.

Yaxley Countryside Volunteers Secures Sponsorship

The Yaxley Countryside Volunteers (YCV) has been in existence for thirty-six years, when four like-minded chaps embarked on a scheme of tree planting around the village.

Their aim was to create and improve the many green spaces we now see around the village today. Reg Bingham the current Chairman of YCV was one of the four founder members. He has seen a huge change in the village with housing developments eating up the countryside, none the less this small band has continued its work in providing pleasant outdoor areas for the community to enjoy in partnership with Yaxley Parish Council. Reg has served as the Tree Warden for Yaxley for a number of years he brings a wealth of knowledge not only about trees but wildlife in general. Never a man to sit back and admire his work he can be found volunteering on The Great Fen Project too. One of Reg’s most recent successes was securing a small piece of land donated by YPC on the Middleton Road Recreation Ground where assisted by other members of the YCV they fenced off this small area and planted a Community Orchard which consists of Apples, Pears, Plum’s, Hazel Nuts, Fig, Quince and Walnut. Other work carried out by the YCV enthusiastic members involved cutting a path through the Mere View wooded area, maintaining the pond at Pound Lane near the Church, assisting with the general tidiness of the cemetery. As machinery, and sharp power tools are in regular use it is important to keep safe. The group enlisted the help of a local company “Howsafe” to sponsor their Hi Viz vests. Clark Howe the Managing Directoreagerly agreed to sponsor the group. Howsafe a local company established in 1978 that has had continual growth from one humble van in 1978 to a fleet of mobile shops today. This ISO 9000 Company specialising in quality products such as work wear, footwear, hygiene and cleaning materials to PPE all of which are readily available from the large stock levels held at their premises at 18 – 20 Challenger Way, Edgerley Business Park, Peterborough PE1 5EX. When presenting the Hi Viz vests to Reg, Clark said “it was his pleasure to help support a local cause which is doing so much in providing the village with well maintained green spaces for the greater community to enjoy”.