15 Jan Local Garden Centre Presents Cheques Totalling over £22,000 to Its Chosen Charities
Throughout 2018 Perrywood Garden Centre, based in Tiptree, raised over £26,000 for its chosen charities of the year. On Monday 14 January, Perrywood presented cheques to Mid and North East Essex Mind, Marie Curie and Greenfingers. The cheques were handed over to charity representatives by the Perrywood staff at the garden centre.
The funds were raised throughout the year across a range of activities involving staff and customers. This included a tea party, staff competitions, workshops, tours and talks to gardening groups and quiz nights.
A number of Perrywood’s staff members also got involved. Seven team members took on the brave task of completing a 13,000ft skydive in May and one dedicated individual took on the ultimate sporting challenge of completing 18 half marathons in 2018. Finally, two keen cyclists also embarked on two cycle rides, Dragon Ride L’Etape Wales (223 km) in June and the Prudential Ride London-Surrey (100 miles) in July.
In addition to this fundraising, Perrywood Garden Centre has been dedicated to helping the community. Throughout the sweltering summer months, the Coffee Shop staff used their tips to purchase 24 fans which were donated to various wards at Colchester General Hospital. The staff hand delivered the fans to each ward, together with some delicious cakes for nurses, patients and their families. Over the festive season, the Coffee Shop team raised a further £2,700 to purchase 350 presents for patients at Colchester General Hospital. Perrywood also donated 20 festive planters to NHS staff at the hospital, who went above and beyond their duty of care.
On top of this activity, Perrywood has also donated over £5,000 worth of plants, gardening equipment and gift vouchers to local schools and individuals. This included the sponsorship of the St Helena Hospice Gardening Group and the Growing Communities competition for schools. In 2018, Perrywood Garden Centre also sponsored the St Helena Hospice’s Forget Me Not campaign and the Tiptree Scouts Christmas card postal service.
