Squire’s Celebrates Success with Wokingham in Need
Squire’s Garden Centres Wokingham has presented Wokingham in Need (Wokingham Community Hospital) with a special plaque marking the success of their ‘Love Where You Live’ programme, which saw a project at the site receiving a special award back in March. The presentation marked the culmination of a four month long project and concluded Squire’s horticultural programme for the current year.
Squire’s had awarded a total of £5,500 in gardening vouchers to nine local community gardening projects as part of its ‘Love Where you Live’ 2024 programme, supporting the work of projects within communities close to its centres.
The programme assists community gardening projects that educate, grow produce, or provide health and wellbeing benefits through horticulture. Following the unveiling of the programme, over 80 applications were received in a matter of weeks, highlighting the need for funds by local groups who are championing horticulture for the benefit of their local community.
Nine groups were selected for an award, comprising Squire’s vouchers enabling recipients to choose plants, tools and other gardening supplies. Over the spring and summer months the projects got underway, award recipients reported back on their progress, highlighting their successes and how the award had been used to make a difference to local projects and people.
Sue Jackson, Founder, Wokingham in Need, comments: “We’re so very grateful for Squire’s assistance through the Love Where You Live Award – it has made a huge difference to the space at the hospital. It now looks amazing thanks to the effort of our volunteers and the lovely plants! The hospital staff and patients express their thanks, as do the many visitors from the community. Of special mention is the staff at Squire’s Wokingham – they are always so helpful and make it such a pleasure to visit the centre.”
Sarah Squire, Chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres, comments: “We were really pleased to make awards to a range of important local projects. It has been fantastic to see that there are so many keen supporters and groups with a strong desire to enhance their local environment through the wonderful benefits horticulture delivers.
“The feedback we have received certainly confirms the awards have made a difference and assisted volunteers with some rewarding work which will be of wider benefit either to users of the gardens or the wider community. We hope these awards have helped start projects that will continue into the future and enable groups to create something pleasing for communities to enjoy or creating shared spaces that brings individuals together. Our centres are embedded in the communities we serve and ‘Love Where You Live’ enables Squire’s to give back to the local area.”
Squire’s ‘Love Where You Live’ 2025 programme will open for applications in late 2024.