Avenues Open Gardens make £7k for good causes

AN ANNUAL event that sees residents show off their horticultural creations has raised thousands of pounds for charity.

Despite rain and Wimbledon keeping many indoors, the Avenues Open Gardens event made £7,200 for good causes.

Organisers are now preparing an information pack on the July event for the makers of Gardener's World, who are interested in filming it next year.

Pippa King, who organises the event on behalf of the Avenues and Pearson Park Residents' Association, said: "Considering the weather, and the bumper amount of people we had last year, we're really pleased with how it went.

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"We even had a coach-load of people from Bridlington Horticultural Society which we've never had before.

"We were down on visitor figures and saw 1,700. But last year the weather was boiling hot.

"We're really pleased it went so well."

More than 60 gardens in and around the Avenues were open this year – including one designed by Scouts at St Ninian's and St Andrew's Church, a Marmite tree and the Yorkshire Wildlife Trust garden near Pearson Park.

On top of the £7,200 raised through programme sales and refreshments, a further £2,000 was collected by Mires Beck Nursery and International House in Westbourne Avenue.

In total, the money raised almost matched previous years' tally of £10,000.

The £7,200 was split in half, with 50 per cent going to Dove House Hospice and 50 per cent going to an array of worthy causes nominated by the gardeners who took part.

Becky Baynes, fundraising co-ordinator for Dove House, said: "Open Gardens has supported us for many years and over that time has raised tens of thousands of pounds for the hospice. It is great to be involved with something that celebrates Hull.

"With Open Gardens attracting so much attention, it is an opportunity for us to let people from a wide area know about the hospice."

Pippa King has been in contact with the makers of Gardener's World who are looking at filming next year's event.

It is hoped the programme would be aired in the spring 2014 series.

Pippa said: "We're one of the largest open garden events in the country and certainly the only urban one.

"Getting on the programme would be great for Hull.

"I'm talking to programme makers and will be making a submission at Christmas."

Have you got a story for the Avenues? E-mail e.wright@mailnewsmedia.co.uk or call 01482 315154.