PPDG Volunteers - Martineau Gardens

Welcome to our Summer Edition
of the Martineau Gardens’
Newsletter. It may have been wet,
but summer has brought good
news to the Gardens. Thanks to the
generosity of our supporters and
donors, the first seeds of the Green
Oasis project have been sown:
Planning Consent has been
granted for our new Eco Building.
The building will be an Education
and Visitor Centre which will
provide a warm (and dry!) welcome
to all who come to enjoy these
magnificent gardens. In these austere
times, however, when there are many
more demands on people’s generosity,
we have taken the decision to scale
down the Green Oasis project by
building a smaller eco building,
accompanied by renovations on
existing buildings. A new building that
is eco friendly and carbon neutral in
design, will still be vital in securing a
sustainable future for Martineau
Gardens. We hope you will continue to
support us in our efforts.
Caroline Hutton, Director
PPDG Volunteers
A team of twelve staff from employment and training
specialists Pertemps People Development Group
(PPDG), volunteered their time at the Gardens to make a
difference. The green team replanted a hedge, built a
new log store and redecorated our kitchen. In addition to
volunteering their services, the team made a donation
from the company’s payroll giving scheme which paid for
all the materials, provided a new oven for the kitchen and
will pay for a new water meter to help the Gardens save
funds in the future. We are so grateful for all the hard
work and generosity involved. Our thanks to Phil Pemble
and all the team from Pertemps People Development
Group.
Our five benches are making such a difference to all our
visitors, but we need more. Celebrate the life of a loved
one by donating a bench. To discuss this in confidence,
call Caroline on 0121 440 7430.
Registered Charity No. 1092364
Celebrating good news — the Gardens
have won a Green Flag Award
Three new holiday clubs are coming to the Gardens this
summer. Saturday morning pottery sessions (10.30am
and 12noon) will run until 1 September. ‘Wild Things’ on
selected days in August (10am—4pm) gives children
aged eight to twelve years the chance to participate in
wildlife activities. (Parental supervision is not required.) Or
on the last three Fridays of August (11.30am—1pm), join
the Femtinos (four little aliens visiting planet earth) for
family sessions for children aged two to eleven. Advance
booking essential for all clubs, direct with organisers.
More details at www.martineau-gardens.org.uk
Sat 28 July Bee Activity Day, 11am - 4pm, with Friends of
the Earth
Sat 18 Aug LILI Bee Keeping Course
Sat 1 Sept LILI Rag Making Course
Sat 8 & Sun 9 Sept Birmingham Honey Show 11am –
3pm, with Birmingham & District Bee Keepers’ Association
Sun 23 Sept Autumn Event 11am - 3pm
Sat 29 Sept AGM 2pm
Sat 13 Oct Apple Day 11am - 3pm, with Urban Harvest
For more details on courses and
events, visit www.martineaugardens.org.uk or pick up an
events flyer on your next visit.
Advance booking essential for
courses.
Company Limited by Guarantee 4273209
www.martineau-gardens.org.uk
Photo: T Ali
Back to basics gardening skills, cooking fresh organic
produce and a bee keeping and honey session were
activities on offer at the first of a series of Local Food
Global Food Taster days hosted here at the Gardens
earlier this year. From fenugreek to pumpkins, Stewart
Holmes took gardening novices through the first steps of
seed sowing. Pictured above, Dharmendra Parmar had
participants rolling out dough and baking it in the earth
oven and a local bee expert gave advice on bee
keeping. The' Local Food Global Food' project is run in
partnership involving the Black Environment Network and
the Federation of City Farms and Community Gardens.
Funded by the Big Lottery’s Local Food Programme, the
project links ethnic minority communities with local food
growing organisations like Martineau Gardens.
July has been a wonderful
month for bird watching,
observing wildlife and
appreciating nature, here
at the Gardens. We’ve
seen buzzards soaring
Photo: J Fletcher
overhead, even a sparrow
A wren peaks out from its
hawk landing in our
nest in the eaves of the
summer meadow. We’ve
also seen several species Pavilion, preparing to take its
of birds raising their young, first flight
including a family of wrens
nesting in the eaves of the Pavilion (pictured here). As we
write, the chicks are just starting to fledge. It’s been a
pleasure to see the attentive parents flitting from the building
to the garden and back, for food. Martineau Gardens is a
sanctuary for so many, just as these tiny wrens have
become bolder and more confident in the Gardens, so we
see the resilience of troubled people strengthening.
Photo: Peter Willis
Announcing good news to our donors and supporters
Our summer Garden Party this year was a huge success.
An unexpected spell of warm dry weather enabled our
supporters to experience the sights and smells of the
Gardens in all their summer glory. Guests were welcomed
by the sounds of a flamenco guitar and enjoyed each
others’ company over canapés, and drinks donated by
No5 Chambers. They were brought up-to-date with
developments by Peter Arnold, Chair of Trustees and
Caroline Hutton, Director. By all accounts, a good time
was had by all.
A big thank you to those of you who have joined the new
Friends Scheme. By joining our Membership / Friends
Scheme, you will be helping us to
continue to protect and care for this
precious landscape, which is home to
such a diversity of living things. The
scheme incorporates tiers of support
and offers attractive benefits, from a
pot of our own honey, to guided tours,
to ‘owning’ the Gardens for your
Special Day. If you care and haven’t
signed up yet, please help us by
joining: log on at www.martineaugardens.org.uk/about-us/become-afriend or pick up a Friends leaflet next time you’re here.
Martineau Gardens has been awarded the prestigious
Green Flag Community Award, for the third year running.
The award recognises the best community-run green
parks in the country. Receiving this accolade, is a tribute
to the dedication of our volunteers, who work hard to keep
the Gardens a beautiful and tranquil spot for all to enjoy.
Martineau Gardens, 27 Priory Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham B5 7UG
For visiting: Mon - Sat, 10am - 4pm
T: 0121 440 7430
Volunteering: Mon - Thurs, 10am - 4pm
E: info@martineau-gardens.org.uk
www.martineau-gardens.org.uk
Volunteering for women: Fri, 10am - 4pm