Praise for the work of Greenfingers at launch of Rosy Cheeks Appeal
Chairman of Greenfingers Matthew Wilson welcomed around 80 guests to Clifton Gardens in what he described as “a long overdue meeting of many friends of the charity.”
He thanked Richard Jackson who had instigated the formation of the charity and had been its chairman for the past 14 years, during which time 39 gardens have been built.
Matthew suggested that it is not until you have children of your own do you perhaps really realise the value of what Greenfingers does. This is behind what has motivated him to take on the Chair of the charity and along with the Board of Trustees set the ambitious target of raising £750,000 over the next two years to build 10 more gardens under the banner of the Rosy Cheeks fundraising appeal.
Tom Hill, the MD of Helen and Douglas Houses at Oxford, thanked Greenfingers and its many supporters, some of whom were present at the evening reception, for the money raised and the work that had been done with it.
He said all involved with Greenfingers should be justly proud of what they have done and while they have not made children better they have made lives ‘a lot less bad’.
Helen House, which was the first Children’s Hospice in the world, has benefited from the garden provided by Greenfingers. He reminded guests that there are around 50,000 families currently in Britain living with a child that has a life limiting illness.
Donna, a mum who lost her daughter Megan at the age of six a few days before Christmas 2009, also thanked the audience for their support.
She said that until you have been in the position she was, living every minute of every day with a child who is terminally ill, do you realise the value and support of a hospice. It brings an element of normality to family life. Sunday lunches with the family couldn’t happen in her life until her daughter was in the hospice. Then they all had Sunday lunches together sitting around a table at the hospice.
"Your gardens don’t make children better but they can make them happy," she said.
Glove and footwear supplier, Town and Country have sponsored the production of a new film, highlighting the work of Greenfingers and testimonials of what Greenfingers gardens have meant to staff, parents, children and patients at hospices across England, in Scotland, Ireland and Wales. This film will be available shortly on YouTube.
