Gardening charity offers more support for community gardeners
For the first time, people across Yorkshire and the Humber can apply for funds and support to green-up and improve their neighbourhoods, as the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) launches a new grassroots gardening programme through RHS Yorkshire in Bloom.
The RHS is providing a new £100,000 fund for distribution over the next 3 years to support community gardening in North, South, East and West Yorkshire, North and North-East Lincolnshire. Currently, there are 80,000 community gardeners and 1,600 schools in Yorkshire who can apply for these funds, which will help create community gardens and growing spaces to improve pocket parks and public spaces in cities, towns and villages across Yorkshire.
Small grants of up to £500 are available for groups that require start-up funding; for larger projects, gardening groups may apply for funds between £5,000 and £10,000. Applications must be made by 15 March 2013.
The RHS has also created a team of gardening experts in Yorkshire, who will work directly with groups to provide practical support and inspiration at a local level. They will share their gardening expertise and knowledge, which includes botany, garden design and landscape architecture, to help community gardeners and schools on horticultural projects.
The RHS Regional Development team for Yorkshire and the Humber are based at RHS Garden Harlow Carr, Harrogate.
RHS Director General, Sue Biggs, said:
I know I’m biased coming from Yorkshire, but it’s so exciting to be able to provide fresh investment and hands-on expertise at a local level, supporting the growth of community gardening at the all-important grassroots. The RHS already works with hundreds of communities across Britain, and now with the support of our incredible partners, we are able to help even more gardening communities grow.
Yorkshire and The Humber is the first region to benefit from this investment, which the RHS plans to roll out nationwide.
To apply, visit: www.rhs.org.uk/RHS-Yorkshire-in-Bloom-Community-Fund or email yorkshire@rhs.org.uk
