ORCG Update March 2017

A quick update on the progress made so far in securing the garden.

Firstly, a big thank you to the many hands that attended the work party on Saturday, it was good to see so many turn out to help, the next work party will be Saturday 1st April.

Secondly, it was agreed at the Future of the Garden meeting we would approach all key holders and ask for a £5 contribution towards the running of the garden, to this end Norman Pitcher from the ORCG committee will be contacting all members to ask for these funds. We hope, if you can afford to, you feel the garden is worth this small investment, but if you cannot afford the investment please tell us and please stay with the garden. As part of this request for funds if you want to make the contribution via online banking the garden bank details are available via email, please put your surname in the reference space so we can take you off the contact list.

Next steps for the committee is approaching each of the schools, nurseries and pre-school groups that use the garden for a contribution, plus, the committee will be approaching local companies for support/funding/sponsorship, if you or your company can help please let us know.

Finally, we have had a few offers of support for committee roles, the website and fundraising, if you would like to find out how you can help with please contact us.

As ever, any queries please email us.

Ricky Josey

Chair ORCG

It's Spring again!

A big hello to all the community garden members!

Crocuses 2015

We have been quiet through the winter but not inactive, we've had CROW from Econet come in and do some clearance work around the pond and some tree work in the garden. We are in advanced stages of obtaining funding for two new benches to replace the last wooden ones, these will be similar to the new ones obtained last year. We have been chasing up veg plot holders to ensure full usage and we have some new fruit trees coming from the Reading Food Growing Network RFGN, these will be in the garden shortly. One school has already used the garden for their RSPB Big Garden bird watch event and we have some bookings in the diary for future visits.

To get 2015 off to a good start we have the following events:

Sat 7th March 10am-Noon - Garden re-opens and we'll be giving the garden a freshen up - please come along and lend a hand with some light gardening.

Chris will be leading this event.

Sat 28th March 3-5pm - Reading Rescue event at the garden - we will be tidying up the garden access pathway, the access lane and parking area.

Ricky will be leading this event.

Work parties will be the FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH March to October 10am-12noon, if you would like to help outside of these days/hours please let us know.

The pond, newly cleared

The 2015 diary is on the front of the cabin, please put any events in here to avoid clashes of events and disappointment and check out planned events.

The new playcabin

If there is anything you would like to see happen in the garden please catch up with a committee member at a work party or email one of us.

2015 is up and running in the garden :-)

Regards,

Ricky Josey

Chair ORCG

March 2014 Update

Spring appears to have arrived, just like the latest update from the ORCG!

After a winter sleep we're back to keep you informed about the garden, there's lots to tell you so here goes:

Reading Rescue is this week and ORCG will be clearing up the access lane to the garden on Sat 15th starting 10am, please come along and join in, this will be a short task and then we'll move into the garden to start tidying up after a windy spring. See www.readingrescue.org.uk for info on all the events for Spring 2014.

Work parties in the garden will be 10am-12noon on the first Saturday of each month (Apr-Oct) with April 5th being the first, please come along, meet other garden members and help as little or as much as you can. Plot holders and all garden members are reminded that assisting with the garden upkeep is part of the arrangement for holding a plot and being a member of the garden.

The boundary fence adjacent to the rear of Dreams was damaged in the recent winds. Repairs have been completed. If you see any damage in the garden or to the boundaries please let a member of the committee know.

There will be work on the trees adjacent to the veg plots in the neighbouring garden on Monday 17th March from 10:30am, this should only be for the morning. Please take this into account if you are planning to use the garden.

New furniture and equipment is (finally) being ordered for the garden, we will inform you of arrival dates shortly.

If you have an event for the garden or are part of a group that would like to use the garden please drop us the details so we can avoid event clashes.

Finally, we invite all garden members to consider joining the steering committee for the garden, we have 4 members but would like at least a couple more, there's not too much involved, we have a chair, treasurer and secretary in place and a maximum of 4 meeting a year (we've already had 1 of them this year) and the summer BBQ. Please drop me a line for more info.

I think that's plenty from me, I hope to see you in the garden soon.

Ricky Josey

Chair ORCG

Spring

Yesterday we paid our first visit to the garden this year, with the children. It's very busy springing up!

Narcissus

Primroses

Catkins flowering

There is frogspawn somewhere!