With just a few weeks to go, the organisers of Garden Re-Leaf Day (22 March) – the garden industry’s biggest annual fundraiser – have confirmed that there is still time to get involved.
Walk or cycle for Garden Re-Leaf
There has been a great response for the popular Garden Re-Leaf Walk and Cycle, with teams and individuals from Mr Fothergill’s Seeds, Vitax, Hozelock, Great British Cards, Elho, GIMA, HTA, DAC Ltd, Taylor Bulbs, Poplars Garden Centre, DLF Trifolium Glee, Holiday Inn, Teleflex, Hornby Whitefoot PR and Kew Green Hotels all signed up.
At 9am, with registration open from 8am, participants will start from World’s End Garden Centre in Wendover, Buckinghamshire. Walkers and cyclists will take in a circular route through the Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire countryside before returning to the garden centre.
2019 marks a special milestone for a handful of walkers who have been taking part in the walk since its inauguration in 2014. This year will see Glee’s Matthew Mein, GIMA’s Vicky Nuttall and Hornby Whitefoot PR’s, Kimberley Hornby, complete their 100th mile in aid of the Greenfingers Charity.
FUNdraising Days
Garden centres across the country are holding their own FUNdraising events for Garden Re-Leaf Day.
Haskins and Thurrock Garden Centre are among those who will be holding a raffle for customers, whilst Poplars Garden Centre near Dunstable will be hosting a curry night and quiz, with all proceeds going to Greenfingers.
Ayletts will be holding a special Goodwill Coffee Morning in its Dahlia Coffee House, where visitors can enjoy a hot drink and prize tombola, again with all proceeds donated to Greenfingers.
The team at Kew Green Hotel’s Holiday Inn Chester South site will be donning walking boots to attempt to reach the 1,085m summit of Mount Snowdon on the day.
As an incentive to get involved, businesses who register their event on the Greenfingers website in advance will receive FREE Garden Re-Leaf Day T-shirts, balloons and posters to help promote their events. Businesses will also benefit from free support from Garden Re-Leaf’s PR team, including press release templates and media lists to help with publicity.
The Greenfingers Charity has thanked CSY Retail for sponsoring the medals and Woodlodge for sponsoring the banners. Sponsorship opportunities are still available, from marshalls and support vehicles for the Garden Re-Leaf Walk and Cycle Challenge, to refreshments, water stations and signage.
At this week’s Garden Press Event in London (Wednesday 27 February), the charity will announce the names of three people who have volunteered for a wing-walking challenge, in which they will be strapped to the roof of a plane flying at up to 100mph and looping the loop. Details of the charity’s first ever RHS Chelsea Flower Show garden will also be revealed.
Greenfingers Director of Fundraising and Communications, Linda Petrons said: “A huge thank you to all of those who have already shown their support for Garden Re-Leaf Day. You are all amazing! However, we still urgently need support from even more businesses to help make this the biggest Garden Re-Leaf Day yet. Whether it be through the walk, cycle or your own arranged event, the funds you raise really do make a difference for life-limited children and their families who spend time in hospices across the UK.”
For fundraising ideas and inspiration, a has been produced by the Greenfingers team. To download the free information pack, register your event or sign up for the walk/cycle, please visit the website. To enquire about sponsorship, contact Linda by email or call 01494 674749 or 07908 221240.
