Beautifully tended gardens raise thousands of pounds for Banbury's hospice

Gardening enthusiasts helped to raise the money through the hospice’s Open Gardens initiative this year, despite initial fears the scheme would fail to flourish.

Nearly £6,000 was raised when green fingered supporters from Bloxham, Culworth, Hornton, Middleton Cheney, Moreton Pinkney and South Newington opened up their private gardens to the public over the spring and summer months.

Visitors paid to walk around the beautiful open spaces which included plantings, knot gardens, water features, vegetable plots, orchards and more. Katharine House’s volunteer gardeners showed off their own handiwork when they hosted an open gardens event at the hospice, and Katharine House also ran its own Open Gardens event at Broughton Grange Gardens and Arboretum.

Throughout the scheme, participants were treated to delicious teas and homemade cakes and honey, along with the opportunity to buy plants and flowers – all contributing to raising much- needed funds for the hospice.

Katharine House had been worried at the start of the year that not enough people were signing up to be be hosts for the usually popular scheme which raises thousands of pounds every year to support people with life-limiting illnesses.

Community Engagement Manager Roseann Thompson said, thanks to the ongoing engagement of their loyal supporters, the campaign turned out to be a great success.

“We’ve been so touched by the enthusiasm of our supporters and want to say a massive thank you to those who opened up their gardens and to the visitors who came to the events and donated to Katharine House” she said.

“The gardens have given a vast amount of pleasure to thousands of people over the years and provide people with the chance to enjoy a wonderful afternoon out with family and friends.”

The hospice is already sowing the seed for Open Gardens 2024, urging people to sign up now and even encourage their neighbours to take part in a whole village event. If you think you could help grow the scheme, visit www.khh.org.uk/gardens to find out what’s involved.

The hospice cares for around 1,300 people and is available to a population of 275,000 in north Oxfordshire and south Northamptonshire.