No, despite the date, this is not a joke.
I’ve been meaning to get back to posting on the blog again, and I’ve got a tentative list of stuff to include as long as my arm. However, it’s a bit of sad news that’s made me actually write something. Whilst doing a little light internet surfing for any fresh Walled Garden news, I came across an article from about a month ago that really quite moved me.
Leasowes Walled Garden in Halesowen in the West Midlands was struck by vandals on Tuesday, 28th Feb. 2017. I found the article on the local newspaper’s website: (Halesowen News - Leasowes Walled Garden).
The article says that, "thieves broke into the buildings damaging doors, windows and then stole cash, museum artefacts, an oven, gas canisters and even a box of teabags”.
It goes on, "Project Manager Mick Freer was left “disgusted and devastated” when he discovered the burglary’s aftermath . . . They have put this project back years, they have caused so much damage and . . . we will have to pay for everything to get fixed.”
The garden was purchased by a charity in 2014 and is staffed by volunteers. They have been labouring away ever since, trying to reinstate a garden inside the remarkable 18th century walls after decades of non-walled garden use, followed by years of neglect and abuse. It must have really affected the morale and confidence of the volunteers, finding that mindless idiots have undone so much of their hard work, which will also end up creating additional expense.
The article finished with a request for donations and for any volunteers wishing to join the project.
If either (or both!) of those sound like something you’d like to do, they’re on Facebook and there’s a website - www.leasoweswalledgarden.co.uk where there’s a bit of history, contact details, and a donations page. I’m not close enough to volunteer, so it’s going to be a donation from me.
The garden also featured in the WKGN (Walled Kitchen Gardens Network) The Grapevine dated 31st March 2015.
I’ve been meaning to get back to posting on the blog again, and I’ve got a tentative list of stuff to include as long as my arm. However, it’s a bit of sad news that’s made me actually write something. Whilst doing a little light internet surfing for any fresh Walled Garden news, I came across an article from about a month ago that really quite moved me.
Leasowes Walled Garden in Halesowen in the West Midlands was struck by vandals on Tuesday, 28th Feb. 2017. I found the article on the local newspaper’s website: (Halesowen News - Leasowes Walled Garden).
The article says that, "thieves broke into the buildings damaging doors, windows and then stole cash, museum artefacts, an oven, gas canisters and even a box of teabags”.
It goes on, "Project Manager Mick Freer was left “disgusted and devastated” when he discovered the burglary’s aftermath . . . They have put this project back years, they have caused so much damage and . . . we will have to pay for everything to get fixed.”
The garden was purchased by a charity in 2014 and is staffed by volunteers. They have been labouring away ever since, trying to reinstate a garden inside the remarkable 18th century walls after decades of non-walled garden use, followed by years of neglect and abuse. It must have really affected the morale and confidence of the volunteers, finding that mindless idiots have undone so much of their hard work, which will also end up creating additional expense.
The article finished with a request for donations and for any volunteers wishing to join the project.
If either (or both!) of those sound like something you’d like to do, they’re on Facebook and there’s a website - www.leasoweswalledgarden.co.uk where there’s a bit of history, contact details, and a donations page. I’m not close enough to volunteer, so it’s going to be a donation from me.
The garden also featured in the WKGN (Walled Kitchen Gardens Network) The Grapevine dated 31st March 2015.