New Community Garden In Hailsham Makes Sense

Online, May 25, 2010 (Newswire.com) - The combined orchard and sensory garden, located at the Town Council owned Grovelands Farm site off Gleneagles Drive, has been completely re-landscaped over the past two months, as part of the Town Council's Hailsham In Bloom programme of works to improve the environmental quality of the town.

The £3,000 scheme has been designed to allow blind, visually impaired, deaf and disabled individuals to enjoy the various elements of the outdoors, with different themed areas and a number of features intended to heighten visitors' response to sight, taste, smell, touch and sound. Design recommendations were sought from specialist charities including The Sensory Trust, Royal National Institute for the Blind (RNIB), Royal National Institute for the Deaf (RNID) and Thrive.

Final touches to the orchard and sensory garden, including the planting of flowers and shrubs, were undertaken in late May by a network of volunteers including local residents, school pupils, representatives of the East Sussex Association for the Blind (ESAB), Environment Hailsham and the Hailsham Horticultural Society.

Funding for the plants, trees and garden components was received from the Hailsham Lions Club and local solicitors Hart Reade, as part of their 100th Anniversary donations to the local community.

The official opening of the community garden will take place on Saturday 5th June, where guests of honour will include Marjorie King (widow of former Environment Hailsham and Hailsham In Bloom supporter, Dennis, whom the community garden is named after) and local BBC weather presenter Nazaneen Ghaffar, who will officially cut the ribbon at the event.

Councillor Jeff Bentley-Astor, chairman of the Hailsham In Bloom Committee said, "The new sensory garden has transformed what was once an underused piece of grassland into a private, peaceful area for people to relax and spend time in. We are all delighted to see the site open as a result of hard work from volunteers and some truly generous donations by local businesses, voluntary organisations and other friends of Hailsham In Bloom. We couldn't have completed this garden so well without their input."

"I'm sure many people will be making full use of the garden from now on."

Marjorie King, delighted with the committee's proposal to name the garden after her late husband Dennis said, "The piece of land at Grovelands Farm was un-used and very uninviting but the new works have opened it up and provided somewhere sustainable where residents and visitors to the town can escape from the hustle and bustle of the town centre."

"I am so impressed with the beautiful new garden, a development which would not have been possible without the sponsorship and donations from local businesses, together with the help from local residents, school pupils and other volunteers, which I thank for their generous support."

For all enquiries relating to this press release, contact:
Terry Hall, Hailsham Town Council
Inglenook
Market Street
Hailsham
East Sussex
BN27 2AE
United Kingdom