St Mary's Secret Garden

19/04/2023

Our introduction to beekeeping course has been postponed, so there is an extra chance to sign up!

The new date is rather fittingly on world bee day so join us to celebrate and learn all about our pollinating friends.

Our resident beekeeper Mark will guide you through the theory and practical methods of caring for bees responsibly in an urban environment, including supporting wild bees and minimising the impact of beekeeping on wild pollinators.

Get your tickets now: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/introduction-to-beekeeping-2023-tickets-522590912487

21/12/2022

21/12/2022

Thank you for supporting us friends ☺️

For Day 20 we're celebrating our neighbours St Mary's Secret Garden whose mission is to “provide well-being though gardening” by “providing a space where people with support needs and the local community can get hands-on experience of gardening, gain a sense of inclusion and receive the benefits of horticulture and other ecotherapy activities.”

You can support their brilliant work by donating or volunteering and can find details through their website: http://www.stmaryssecretgarden.org.uk/

10/10/2022

23/05/2022

Unfortunately we found a dead cat in the garden this morning. It is smallish and very dark brown / black all over.

It has now been taken to Medivet on Dalston Lane but is not chipped.

Please get in touch if you or someone you know may have lost this cat.

11/01/2022

Thank you so much to everyone who has shared and donated to our appeal over the last few weeks.

We've had a wonderful response and we are so grateful!

The appeal is now over but you can still donate through our page if you would like to!

https://localgiving.org/appeal/SaveSMSG/

10/01/2022

Our first snowdrop of the year spotted today!

It's the last day to donate to our fundraising appeal today.

Thanks so much to everyone who has donated and shared so far.

With your help we have raised so much but we can still raise more.

Please donate today if you can!

https://localgiving.org/appeal/SaveSMSG/

07/01/2022

The garden is a home for so many animals, plants and people!

Friends, with your help we have managed to raise almost £5,500 to keep the garden going through winter.

We only have a few days left until our appeal deadline, so it is time for a final push over the weekend to raise as much as possible.

Please help us if you can, we can't do it without you!

Share this post, share our appeal, tell your friends, ask people to support us 🙏💚💸

https://localgiving.org/appeal/SaveSMSG/

04/01/2022

Happy New Year from the garden, we're back!

We only have a week left to reach our funding target.

With your help we've raised more than £4,500 from approximately 80 different supporters so far.

Thank you everyone who has already donated and shared our appeal.

Please do keep sharing and pestering your loved ones to be part of our appeal and give us a boost for the New Year!

https://localgiving.org/appeal/SaveSMSG/

21/12/2021

We still need your help!

Thank you to everyone who has donated and shared so far - we’ve now raised £3300, which is an amazing start for our appeal - and we are so much closer to our goal!

We are closed for a couple of weeks over the winter break, but otherwise the garden is open all year round providing support, therapeutic and volunteering opportunities to our community.

Raymond is a member of our Garden Social club for older people with learning disabilities, and has been coming to the garden for about 3 years. As one of our regulars he's keen to tell people about hoe much he enjoys and appreciates being able to come to the garden.

Raymond said: “I’m very thankful that I am able to participate in the sessions at St Mary’s Secret Garden. I enjoy being involved with the different activities. I’ve been able to meet up with friends and make new friends, otherwise I would be isolated and by myself.

Coming to the garden makes me feel better in myself and improves my self esteem. It takes my mind off all my problems; my stresses, anxieties and depression. And I love watching the birds fly across the garden and eat the food I put out for them.

"If I didn’t have the garden I don’t know what I would do, I would be at a loose end. I hope that the garden will continue to go from strength to strength!”

Our community and the garden need us, even though people don’t think of winter as a time for gardening, there are loads of jobs that need doing, and lots of people who rely on us being here through the winter months.

Please share our appeal with your friends and family, and anyone you think who might be able to donate!

https://localgiving.org/appeal/SaveSMSG/