Tuesday Gardening Group December 10, 2018

Thanks to funding we have received from a charitable trust, we have been running a pilot programme of social and therapeutic gardening sessions designed to improve the wellbeing of people living with dementia. Once a week, these volunteers came together in the Pavilion for supported sessions which included horticultural, craft and sensory-based activities. Martineau Gardens staff led the sessions and were supported by the huge generosity of some of our regular garden volunteers who came every week to enable the activities to be enjoyed by all. Together the group have planted up troughs with bulbs and plants, harvested potatoes, planted onion sets and made lavender bags. They have laughed, sung, gathered pumpkins, sown broad beans and pictured here, are Margaret and Sarah making a winter bird feeder together.  Activities are being observed by a researcher from Coventry University and we hope her findings will be used in developing future programmes. Observations so far are extremely promising and in a focus group with carers, one person reported that the self-confidence the experience gave his loved one, lasted for two days after  each session. She got so much from these pilot sessions that we are hoping to include her in our regular therapeutic horticulture programme.

 



The Pavilion Garden December 10, 2018

It gives us great pleasure to announce the continued support from Jo Malone London. Martineau Gardens is creating a new Pavilion Garden, which will be located behind the refurbished Pavilion. The Pavilion Garden will provide extra tranquillity for those in need of a ‘healing’ space. People experiencing immediate mental distress often seek out quiet places at Martineau Gardens for some peace and calm, but can be disturbed by other visitors. With the support of Jo Malone London, Martineau Gardens is turning a hidden and overgrown space behind the Pavilion into a tranquil haven. Work is taking place now and into the Spring. Our staff and volunteers have created the design and are hard at work clearing the area – hard physical labour including digging up bricks, brambles and levelling.



Gifts and festive cards in support of Martineau Gardens December 5, 2018

Buy an unusual gift or a festive card from Martineau Gardens, with the knowledge that your purchase is supporting our charity.

Martineau Gardens gift membership

For the person who has everything … why not buy then a year’s membership to our Friends scheme?
They’ll receive our newsletter, quarterly, and free entry to Autumn and Spring events. An A5 folded gift-card illustrated with images of Martineau Gardens is included for you to present, there’s an explanation of how the donation is supporting the work of Martineau Gardens and space for you to write your own message. Call 0121 440 7430 to purchase using a credit or debit card, or pop into Reception next time you visit. £20 Individual (£25 Joint/Family)

Martineau Gardens festive cards 

Two designs of the Gardens in winter, priced at £4 per pack of five cards, packaged in cellophane wrappers and includes envelopes. (Buy three packs for £10) Call into Reception at Martineau Gardens to purchase.    £4 for five, or £10 for three packs



Co-op supporting Martineau Gardens December 5, 2018

We’ve got some great news! Once again, Martineau Gardens has been selected to receive funding from the Co-op Local Community Fund. It means that we will get a contribution towards the Therapeutic Horticulture Project. But we need your help. The more support we get, the more funding we could receive. So if you’re a Co-op Member log in to your Co-op Membership account and choose us.  Visit the supporting stores (listed below) to see how you can make in-store purchases count.

Co-ops Local Community Fund – Giving back to local communities

By choosing to buy from Co-op, Co-op members are helping local causes on their doorstep through the Local Community Fund. Every time Co-op members buy Co-op branded products and services, 1% of their spend goes to a local cause.

Local stores supporting Martineau Gardens

Birmingham, Colmore Row B3 2BJ

Birmingham, Newhall Square, B3 1RU

Edgbaston, Wheeleys Road, B15 2LJ

Moseley, 154 Alcester Road B13 8HS

You can view (and share) our Co-op page here.

 

 



Grow your tenner and support Martineau Gardens December 5, 2018

UPDATE: Grow you tenner has closed, the full £100k match pot has been allocated in just over 24 hours!

Please would you consider setting up a monthly on-line donation to Martineau Gardens with Local Giving?

Through the ‘Grow Your Tenner’ campaign, your direct debit donation will be match funded for the first 6 months, meaning a £10 monthly donation by you will earn £200 (including eligible gift-aid)*. You can find out more here,  or please telephone us to discuss on 0121 440 7430.

 

On your marks, get set… Grow Your Tenner!

*This year’s Grow Your Tenner campaign launched at 10am on Tuesday 11th December 2018. The campaign will run until the match funding is fully allocated or 12am on Thursday the 10th January 2019 – whichever comes first. The campaign is encouraging people to become long term supporters of their local charities, like Martineau Gardens. If you set up a direct debit to Martineau Gardens (through Local Giving) for a year, Local Giving will match your monthly donations (by up to £10) for a full 6 months.



Martineau Gardens and Gardens of Sanctuary December 3, 2018

Martineau Gardens is profiled in a new scheme titled ‘Gardens of Sanctuary’ reporting on the contributions of refugees and asylum seekers participating in community growing activities.


Gardens of Sanctuary is a partnership between City of Sanctuary, Social Farms & Gardens and the Permaculture Association. They explain it as this:

“We have a vision of a network of green spaces with a culture of welcome, in which asylum seekers and refugees feel safe and appreciated as valued contributors and co-creators of community gardens and environmental projects across the UK.

For those who arrive to seek asylum in the UK, community gardens, city farms and other community growing spaces can offer vital and unique opportunities to find community, improve mental and physical health and to learn and share skills.

Around the UK there are some fantastic examples of growing spaces led by, and offering opportunities to, people who have been forced to seek sanctuary. ”

You can find out more about the project on the Gardens of Sanctuary website – there is a Resource Pack, Report and Case Studies, plus links to a range of other resources and organisations that could be useful for any community growing group who is interested in working with sanctuary seekers.

Social Farms and Gardens have included Martineau Gardens in their case studies: Read the case study about Martineau Gardens here.

 



Early closing for training Sat 1 December November 12, 2018

Martineau Gardens will be lcosing early on Saturday 1 December for Volunteer Training. We will close at 2.45pm.

Re-open 10am on Monday morning.

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Stories on Halloween Night October 17, 2018

Roll up, roll up. Tickets are on sale for an enchanting evening of spooky takes, flickering firelight and a woodland adventure, taking place at Martineau Gardens for Halloween on Wednesady 31 October, from 6pm. Come and be entertained by the good folk in the Traditional Arts Team at ‘Stories on Halloween Night’. Buy your tickets on-line via wegottickets.com(or on the gate subject to availability).

Buy tickets and more details here!



We need Visitor Welcome Volunteers October 17, 2018

We need to grow our Visitor Welcome Team volunteers … can you help?

Our Visitor Welcome Team Volunteers contribute so much to Martineau Gardens, providing a warm welcome to visitors.

The purpose of the role is to welcome visitors to the Gardens and deal with any reasonable needs or enquiries they have. This includes ensuring that the Gardens and buildings that the public use are welcoming to visitors; keeping up to date with news and changes at the Gardens; serving drinks; washing up; selling plants and produce and offering ‘Become a Friend’ leaflets and information on any events or activities.

We are much quieter in the winter, so it’s a good time to settle in and become familiar with what happens on a daily basis at Martineau Gardens.

If you can spare a regular half day each week, Monday to Friday, or would like to be added to a list of back-up volunteers, please call 0121 440 7430 and arrange to meet with our Director, Gill Milburn.

 

Do give us a call if you think this is something for you! We’d love to hear from you.

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Half-term Family Fun at Martineau Gardens September 24, 2018

A tranquil spot in late Autumn by the paper bark maple

Bring the family to Martineau Gardens this Autumn Half-Term for a range of activities.

Autumn Stick Man Family sessions (Fri 2 and Sun 4 November) :            click here

Autumn & Halloween Half Term Fun family sessions (Thurs 1 November):         click here

Halloween Storytelling (Wed 31 October) :             click here

Day of the Dead family sessions: (details coming soon)       click here

In addition to the special activity sessions listed above, you can also follow the Stick Man Trail, as a self-guided activity – find out more here. The Stick Man trail is available during our normal opening hours (Monday to Saturday, 10am until 4pm) until the end of December 2019.