Mark your calendar next Friday as it’s Garden Re-Leaf Day, when garden centres pull out all the stops and raise thousands of pounds for charity.
There’s loads going on at garden centres all over the country, with special events to look out for right here at our garden centre in Henley on Thames.
The annual fundraising event is in aid of the Greenfingers charity, which builds gardens in hospices used by children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. Since it began in 2012, Garden Re-Leaf has raised over £500,000 towards this fantastic cause, helping hundreds of families just when they need it most. Last year’s event was a record-breaker, with 100 walkers, the most ever, taking part in the sponsored walk, special shows on the TV channel QVC, and raising a staggering £100,000. Your generous donations have helped Greenfingers has created over 53 inspiring spaces in hospices around the country, from Oxford and Luton to Grimsby and Sunderland.
We’ve got more than ever planned for Garden Re-Leaf Day 2018. Alongside the annual 10 or 20 mile walking challenge, there’s now a new cycling route as well with routes of 50 and 100 miles. Garden centre teams from all over the country are signing up for the sponsored route along the Ridgeway and through the Chiltern Hills.
There are 12-hour plantathons in which staff plant continuously around the clock, raffles, quiz nights, face-painting and crafts, as well as dozens of fantastic bargains throughout the garden centre with all money raised going to Garden Re-Leaf. Pop down to the garden centre next weekend and find out what’s happening – or get involved yourself! If you have ideas you’d like to try for raising money for Garden Re-Leaf, from cake baking to dressing up, we’d love to hear about them.
Garden Re-Leaf takes place on Friday 16 March: for more details, visit www.gardenreleaf.co.uk