Does your community group have a wild side?........You could be funded!

Grow Wild is a four-year programme that aims to bring together community members, especially young people, to transform disused, unloved, neglected or uninspiring sites into a place that is attractive and useful by planting and sowing wild flowers, plants and trees that are native to the UK.

It is awarding of £1,000 to £4,000 to community groups that want to bring people together to transform a communal space by sowing and growing native plants. 

The deadline for applications is 2 December 2014 (midnight) and successful groups will be notified in February 2015.

For more information please visit: https://www.growwilduk.com/get-funding

Volunteer recruitment event - 1 - 3 pm Tuesday 21 October at Forum 28

Seal Identification workshop at South Walney Wildlife Nature Reserve

Seal Identification workshop at South Walney Wildlife Nature Reserve 10-1pm on Wednesday 29 October. 

Enjoy learning about our local seal colony on the reserve. We'll start in the classroom looking at different identifying features and then take you to the best seal spotting sites.Bring binoculars if you have them. The walk is 3km long. A tramper is available for use by individuals with mobility problems if booked 24 hours in advance of the event. Please note that refreshments are not available on the reserve.

Places are limited so booking is essential. Ring 01539 816300 or email   mail@cumbriawildlifetrust.org.uk 

Venue location

South Walney Nature Reserve

Barrow in Furness,

Cumbria

Grid reference SD 225 620

Fun Food for Kids at Barrow Library 11am - 1pm Monday 27 October

Free "How to" growing guides from Thompson and Morgan

“Ever wondered how to plant garlic, when to harvest potatoes, or how to prune a Clematis? Thompson and Morgans useful ‘How To' guides cover a wide range of topics to bring you specialist advice on growing flowers, fruits and vegetables”

You can find more about planting, pruning, harvesting and much more in their ‘How To’ garden guides at:  http://www.thompson-morgan.com/how-to-garden

What to do in the garden - free tips and advice

What to do in the garden, free tips and advice from:

Gardeners World at: http://www.gardenersworld.com/what-to-do-now/week41/
Royal Horticultural Society at: https://www.rhs.org.uk/advice
Thompson and Morgan at: http://www.thompson-morgan.com/in-the-garden-this-month

Quote for the week.......

“How wonderful it is that nobody need wait a single moment before starting to improve the world.” - Anne Frank

Free edible flower guide from Thompson and Morgan

Many flowers such as nasturtiums are edible and can make an attractive and delicious addition to recipes.

If you are interested and would like to learn more about edible flowers, Thomas and Morgan have produced a free guide on their website at:http://www.thompson-morgan.com/edible-flowers

World Mental Health Day 2014 - Friday 10 October

This World Mental Health Day (Friday 10 October) Time for Change will be launching their new campaign that shows that it is often the little things that people do that can make a big difference to someone experiencing a mental health problem – like sending a text to a friend or having a cup of tea and chat.

For more information please visit: https://www.time-to-change.org.uk/WMHD

Staff and students from Beaumont College enjoying a picnic in the autumn sun

Early autumn colour in our planted borders

Our mini-beast hotels are beginning to blend in

A nice morning for a little lawn maintenance

Heather providing a variety of colour in our community planters

Time for a little hedge maintenance

Strawberries taking advantage of the mild weather

Our FREE seed saving and winter container workshop proves to be interesting and fun

Our programme of FREE training opportunities continues with todays "seed saving and winter container gardening" workshop –  facilitated by Jennifer Lauruol of Carpe Diem Gardens.

Among the feedback we received included:

"Had a great time. It was fun"

"We were made very welcome"

"Fantastic place to have meetings. Very friendly and informative"

"Thanks, had a brilliant time"

"Teacher was passionate and knowledgeable"

Funding to enable the workshop sessions has been provided from a grant we have been awarded by People’s Health Trust using money raised by Healthable Community Interest Company through The Health Lottery.

Thank you and welcome to new sponsors The Rotary Club of Furness Peninsular

Nasturtiums thriving in our community grow your own scheme raised planters

Early autumn pollinators

H&S Policy and procedure for some of our tools

Risk assessments and guides

Cordless grass strimmer

Cordless hedge trimmer

Push lawnmower

BBQ

Love Barrow Awards - Nominations now open

“Do you know someone in the Barrow Borough community or neighbourhood who does great work, either as part of their job or as a volunteer?  If you do, this is your chance to recognise that great work by nominating those people that go that extra mile to make Barrow and the Furness area the great place it is to live, work and love”

For details of how you can nominate online or download a printable form that you can post to the Love Barrow Awards Team please visit the Love Barrow website at: http://lovebarrowawards.co.uk/nominate/

Wild About Gardens Week 15 - 21 September 2014

"Wild About Gardens is a joint initiative by the Royal Horticultural Society and The Wildlife Trusts to encourage people to support local biodiversity in their gardens.  In May 2013, the State of Nature report, compiled by 25 wildlife organisations, found that 60 percent of the 3,148 UK animal and plant species assessed have declined in the past 50 years for a range of reasons including loss of habitat. 

Many of our common garden species - hedgehogs, house sparrows, starlings and common frogs, for example – are becoming much less common. This is where gardeners can make a difference, by making their own gardens and the green spaces in their communities more wildlife friendly".

You can find free guides on many practical ways to enhance your garden for wildlife, from building bug hotels to help our garden pollinators through winter to feeding birds to building ponds at the Wild About Gardens website here

You can download Wild About Gardens free guide with planting and activity ideas to help pollinators flourish in your garden here.

Could you possibly spare a minute to help us….…………?

Hi all,

Could you possibly spare a minute to help us….………….?

Following an application we (Marsh Street Arches and Garden CIC) recently submitted to Skipton Building Society’s Grassroots Giving initiative we have been shortlisted for potential funding.

In order to fairly allocate 161 pots of £500, Skipton Building Society’s Grassroots Giving are asking the public to tell them who they want to see receive the funding out of 304 shortlisted groups. 

An individual profile has been created for our project which can be seen on their website here: http://www.skiptongrg.co.uk/apply-for-funding/whos-applying/north-west/marsh-street-arches-and-gardens-community-interest-company/

You can, if you wish, add your support by clicking on the link above to find Marsh Street Arches and Gardens Community Interest Company, and vote for us by adding your email address in the box at the bottom of the page and clicking ‘Vote Now’.

Thank you in anticipation.

Maintaining our raised planters

Disability Information Day - Friday 5th Sept 2014 at Forum 28

A visit from a common darter dragonfly

Companion planting guide from Thompson and Morgan.

Companion planting is all about creating plant communities which have mutual benefits to each other. 

Find out how at Thompson and Morgans free companion planting guide at: http://www.thompson-morgan.com/companion-planting-guide

Plants for pollinators

The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) has compiled two downloadable plant lists to help gardeners identify plants that will provide nectar and pollen for bees and many other types of pollinating insects.

To download the lists please visit the RHS website here. 

Eight of the best herbs for containers from Vertical Veg

“Herbs are wonderful for containers. Few crops give you so much from so little space. Often just a few leaves can transform a dish. Many also have flowers that attract beneficial insects - bees love chive flowers for example and hoverflies love coriander flowers. If you like herbs and have space for a pot to two, do try growing a few. They are amongst the easiest in containers. And many like mint, chives, thyme and rosemary will return year after year, so you don’t even have to sow them every year, either.  All in all, a real winner in small spaces” Source – Vertical Veg

For more information please visit: http://www.verticalveg.org.uk/eight-of-the-best-herbs-for-containers/

"Art in the Garden" session with Love Barrow Families

"Art in the Garden" session for Love Barrow Families facilitated by Jennifer Lauruol of Carpe Diem Garden Design.

Funding to enable the session was provided from a grant we have been awarded by People’s Health Trust using money raised by Healthable Community Interest Company through The Health Lottery. 

Pictures courtesy of Jennifer Lauruol and Love Barrow Families.

Cosmos flowers adding a little colour to some of the raised planters

Common blue butterfly (male)

Common lizards basking in the sun

Harvesting corn cockle seeds

FREE training session - Seed saving and container gardens

Our programme of FREE training opportunities continues with:

Friday 26 September 10.30-1pm FREE Seed saving and container gardens.

All places on the above sessions are by booking only.

Please note there are limited places available on each session so to avoid disappointment please book early.

You can book for a session by ringing 01229 876546 or by email to

neighbourhoodmgt@barrowbc.gov.uk

Funding to enable the workshop sessions has been provided from a grant we have been awarded by People’s Health Trust using money raised by Healthable Community Interest Company through The Health Lottery.

Harvesting some of our cherry tomatoes