Our glorious gardens welcomed visitors with the National Garden Scheme
We were delighted to welcome a wealth of visitors, including The Mayor of Guildford, Cllr Sallie Barker MBE, to Christopher’s, on Sunday, to enjoy our glorious gardens as part of the National Garden Scheme.
During her visit, The Mayor was met by Paul Farthing, our Chief Executive to learn more about our work, before taking a tour of the hospice with Geraldine Sheedy, Head of Hospice Services.
She was then met by Di Bloomfield, one of our amazing garden volunteers, to show her round the garden and explain the different spaces. Such as our Sensory Walkway, Memory Garden, and the Brewin Dolphin Garden, which was donated and repurposed in 2022, from the RHS Chelsea Flower Show silver medal winning garden designed by Paul Hervey-Brookes.
The Mayor, Cllr Sallie Barker MBE said, “I was delighted to attend the Shooting Star Children’s Hospices open day for the National Gardens Scheme. The hospice is a really special place, and meeting the staff and seeing their care for the children and their families was heart-warming. A special thanks goes to the volunteers who look after the peaceful gardens.”
After enjoying a tour around the garden, visitors were able to take a seat in the sunshine or opt for some shade in our garden room and enjoy a refreshing cuppa and some delicious, sweet treats, kindly baked by some of our volunteers.
One particularly special feature in the hospice garden is Ellie’s Cow. This sculpture, and the garden itself, provided a very important outlet to Ellie and her family. Ellie’s family very kindly shared their story about their journey as part of a collaboration with Shooting Star, Hospice UK, and the National Garden Scheme.
The National Garden Scheme have supported Hospice UK since 1996, donating over £7 million across the partnership. In November 2023, the National Garden Scheme donated a further £450,000.
Geraldine Sheedy, Head of Hospice Services said, “It was wonderful to welcome so many members of our community to see our garden and gain more of an understanding of the importance of these outdoors spaces for the families we support. Whether it’s a chance for families to play and let off some steam together, enjoy the sensory trails, or to have a space to sit and reflect – our gardens offer a safe environment to be enjoyed by all. Through the National Garden Scheme, we can showcase these spaces to the public and share the vital support we provide to families, just like Ellie’s.”
A huge thank you to all the volunteers and staff who helped to make the day possible. We’re always in need of volunteers to help support us in the hospices, at events and our shops – find out more and available roles on our Volunteers page.
