The Garden has continued to flourish this year with its reputation for its community spirit, its endeavour and its produce (vegetables, fruits and flowers) increasing over time. A far cry from the wasteland of rubble and brambles inherited 10 years ago! In June volunteers and their families celebrated 10 years of hard but satisfying work to get to where we are now.
Notable developments over the last year
Material changes to the garden and events held
Our Spring and Winter Fairs attracted increasing numbers of visitors and so demand for stalls from local community selling craft items in the main. The revenue received benefitted both the Garden and the stall holders.
An Art Show was also set up in June in the large Garden House (renovated greenhouse) exhibiting the work of local artists.
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In terms of the Garden itself, more raised beds were built, others repaired, gravel path laid from which visitors, with wheelchairs if necessary, could view all aspect of the 2-acre site. Renovation of the largest and oldest greenhouse is underway with rotten timbers replaced for for the installation of new glass.
Sustainability
We now have a fully operational gravity-fed watering system installed using water collected from greenhouse roofs at the higher end of the site, piped down to the vegetable beds lower down. All compost is now peat-free and we have stepped up the recycling of our (extensive) green waste with the purchase of a chipper, and by compartmentalising our waste more efficiently.
Community involvement
We have reached out to various other charity groups such as AGE UK’s “connecting communities”, the Social Farms and Gardens Association and the Social Prescription initiative. Those on their mailing lists now have it recorded that we are here to support them if they wish.
We also host a weekly group with mental disabilities and their carers who enjoy carrying out simple tasks round the Garden and, on a different note (!), we have a traditional folk band, who use our space to practice as well as entertaining visitors and volunteers alike.
Finances
Our financial accounts are set out separately, but in summary, the bulk of our income stems from takings from our our various events, sale of plants and from our cafe. Outgoings mainly involve gardening equipment and repair materials.
Blaise Community Garden
- Financial Statement 2022 23
INCOME
Grants £ 0.00 Events £ 8001.37 Donations £ 1419.48 Plant Sales £ 3219.34 Loans £ 0.00 Miscellaneous £ 1286.22 Totals £ 13926.39 EXPENDITURE Buildings £ 11239.76 Equipment £ 2970.89 Electricity £ 412.12 Plants/Seeds £ 194.67 Events/Catering £ 708.90 Compost etc £ 840.07 Insurance £ 445.69 Miscellaneous £ 1578.46 Totals £ 18390.56 SURPLUS/ (DEFICIT ) £ (4464.07) B/F from 2021-23 £ 5504.64
Carried Forward £ 1040.47
Notes
In addition to the above listed cash donations, we also received “in kind” donations valued at £652 comprising: £344 for various composts/manures etc. from Almondsbury Garden Centre and £308 Rope Edging Tiles from an anonymous donor.
Miscellaneous items are:
Income from booking fees and commission charges paid by events exhibitioners, charges made to various organisations for use of premises and,
Expenditure for postage & stationery, website fees and an RHS subscription.
There is an outstanding interest-free loan of £5000 from a member to fund completion of the restoration of the large historic wooden greenhouse (Greenhouse 5). At the request of the lender, this loan is repayable “at such time as doing so will not cause harm to the garden finances.” We are now seeking contract quotations for the final stage of installing the glass in the roof, Thiswill require grant aid.