Green-fingered Cathie Welch shares her tips on getting your garden ready for the colder months
I have always thought this was a strange saying as so much goes on during the winter months. Some plants die down but others are coming up as it’s their season. The animals, insects and birds all still need shelter and food.
Pruning
Many plants actually need their annual prune in the winter when they are dormant like roses, apples and pears and many other deciduous shrubs and trees. Think about piling up the prunings or making a ‘dead hedge’ instead of throwing them out or burning them.
Cutting back perennials
Many perennials have gone over and look dead at this time of the year and it is tempting to cut them all back for tidiness. Think carefully about each plant as the seed heads that look dead to you can look beautiful in the frost and can contain valuable food for birds. The base of perennials can actually be protected in the winter, particular those that are slightly tender like Penstemon and many Salvias. Perennials at the side of ponds are refuge for amphibians. If you really need to cut them back consider leaving piles so creatures can hide there. Many perennials are best left until the sap is rising in the Spring like Fuschias, Hydrangeas and Perovskia.
Tender Perennials
Some plants need winter protection as they don’t tolerate the freezing temperatures of recent years. Hardy Fuschias die back but tender ones will die. Dahlias and Cannas really can be put to bed in the garden by covering with a thick layer of straw mulch topped with compost.
Autumn Leaves
I find the thick acrid smoke of a bonfire particularly upsetting if leaves are the fuel. This is especially tedious when leaf blowers are used. Rake the leaves up into a pile for hedgehogs and other creatures to enjoy. Mulch over the top of them on flower beds as they will eventually rot down. Mow them up on a lawn for exceptional compost. Create a leaf mould pile but do not burn!
Meadows and hardy annuals
A lot of our native wild flowers need to have the seed stratified which means they need the cold winter in order to germinate in the Spring. Consider leaving the seeds in the ground rather than collecting them or re-distribute throughout the garden.
Biennials
Foxgloves, teasels and forget-me-nots need to go through vernalisation which is when the plant is in its first year. It needs the cold to stimulate flowering the following Spring.
Plants are amazing and a little knowledge can transform the way you think about ‘putting your garden to bed for the winter’
CGS Courses Please ask for details as I am now meeting potential students for Spring Courses as well as bespoke workshops and volunteering. I can also come and teach you in your own garden and am happy to chat over a coffee at Ashdene. Consultancy gift vouchers available too. Visit my website or email: [email protected]
We review the new VaxSpotWash Home Pet-Design which is designed to make your carpets, rugs and upholstery shiny and new
The things we deal with for our pets, hey? The filth… the fury… the faeces…
Obviously, any pet owner will tell you that the companionship their furry friend offers far outweighs the drudgery.
But, at this time of year especially, you might find that distinctive animal pong tends to linger, and the quest to clean up muddy paw prints can leave you hot & bothered. Since having my joyful rainbow carpet staircase fitted, I’ve been pining for a VAX gizmo to keep it looking vibrant. And then recently, an elderly, and somewhat smelly cat came to stay, in addition to the stompy-booted teenager and black sprocker. As one of those numpties who got a white boucle sofa over lockdown (in my defence it was given to me by a friend who had a spare one, and it was before I had black pets) it’s fair to say I lost the battle with the fur, footprints and fragrance some time ago.
“it’s fair to say I lost the battle with the fur, footprints and fragrance some time ago’
So I was delighted to test drive the new VAXSpotWash Home Pet-Design which is surprisingly small (30cm high) and cute enough to slot into a kitchen shelf. But it has plenty of power – it’s proven to rid your home 99% of potential harmful bacteria. Crucially, it’s also easy to use, with various attachments to slot on to the cleaning hose (it must be idiot-proof because, trust me, I’m not great with technology).
Attaching the extra-wide two-in-one wash tool I set to work on my stairs and was delighted to find that working this deep-pile carpet required much less elbow grease than my previous efforts. And, prompting a little whoop, the grime and god-knows-what being sucked away by the SpinScrub hand tool into the dirty water tank was sooo satisfying. You just go back and forth over the carpet et voila! The Vax will do its magic, leaving the carpet cleaner, shiny and new, without leaving it wet.
Being lightweight, the gadget politely tells you when the dirty water tank is full, and switches itself off. Pouring away the treacle-coloured liquid that comes off your floors will make you think again about how clean you ever managed to get it in the first place. Trust me, it’s gross!
I then happily set to work on my wool carpets and upholstery, including my much-neglected car without breaking too much of a sweat. The odour-neutralising solution is instantly pleasing and I was very pleased to bid farewell to that ubiquitous wet-dog smell.
The next time tea got spilled on the landing involved significantly less drama, and swearing, than it would have previously. And then when the cat inevitably went whoopsie on the rug I was almost zen (for me).
I can safely say that this little poppet is my favourite recent addition to the household. Using it is pleasing and even addictive – one of my new favourite weekend activities now is get the house to myself for a bit to ‘get my Vax out’. In fact (don’t tell anyone) I talk to it affectionately, even more than the dog.
Buy the VAX SpotWash Home Pet-Design direct from vax.co.uk for £199.99, including 1 x 250ml VAX Spot Washer Antibacterial Solution, 1 x VAX 250ml Pet Stain & Odour Remover, free delivery and a free Stain Removal Kit worth £30, when purchasing direct from VAX.
Rose Awareness Week celebrates the beauty and variety of the world’s most popular flower. This is the ideal time to enjoy their glory with beautiful blooms and sensuous scents in gardens near you
Shakespeare said “of all the flowers, me thinks a rose is best” and who can argue with the great English playwright. Roses are rooted in many aspects of life, from literature to history, but did you know:
• The oldest living rose is 1,000 years old, and lives on the wall of the Cathedral of Hildesheim in Germany. • All varieties of rose are edible. Rose petals are often added to jellies and used as a flavouring in Chinese and Indian cuisine. Teas or cocktails are often infused with rose hips, a berry shaped fruit grown from roses packed with Vitamin C. • There are around 150 species of roses across the world, with thousands of hybrids too! Cherries, apples, peaches, plums, pears, apricots and almonds are all relatives of the rose family. • The most expensive rose is the Juliet Rose. It took 15 years and cost £2.3 million. Its colour resembles an apricot and it was first displayed in 2006 at Chelsea Flower Show.
One of summer’s great pleasures is to stroll through a rose garden, breathe in the sweet fragrance and gaze at the pastel colours of the blooms. Whether in a formal rose garden or throughout the grounds, these ones are well worth a visit.
Hampshire
More than 100 rose varieties bloom each summer at Hinton Ampner, Alresford, and the borders are designed so the most fragrant roses are planted close to the path you walk along. Take the rose trail that guides you to the different varieties planted by a former owner, and Hinton’s garden team.
Step into the garden at Mottisfont and be met with unsurpassed fragrance and colour from over 500 varieties of world-famous roses blooming in the walled garden.
Surrey
The rose garden at Nymans is teaming with delicate blooms and densely-petalled clusters. Make the most of the long summer evenings and experience the roses in a whole new light every Friday in June and July with summer lates at Nymans.
Take in the glorious views across the rolling Surrey Hills from Polesden Lacey near Dorking, framed by Edwardian rambling roses, shrub roses adorning the borders and climbing roses decorating the pergolas.
Started in 2007, the Bowes-Lyon Rose Garden at RHS Wisley aims to inspire visitors with roses planted alongside companion plants.
The two summer beds at the Six Quarters at Gilbert White’s House, Selborne, are home to various species of old roses, all of which look their best this month, nestled among lavender, geraniums, columbines and foxgloves.
Planted with over 1,000 Old English rose bushes and framed by long, low, precisely clipped box hedges, the Rose Garden at Loseley Park, Guildford, is one of the finest examples in the country. Many visit just for the colour and scent of the roses, evoking summer at its best.
Oxfordshire
The three-day flower show this month, 23rd to 25th, at Blenheim Palace is the ideal time to enjoy the roses at their best in the sumptuous surroundings of the stately splendour in Woodstock. Take a stroll down Floral Street, tour the Grand Floral Pavilion, join the newly-created Insect Trail and generally wallow in all that showcases the best of British gardening.
The Mary Rose Garden at Waterperry Gardens near Wheatley is home to hybrid teas, floribunda, climbers and ground cover roses – a rose lover’s paradise. Visitors in June will find among the many varieties grown there are some which only flower once a year, amid many repeat flowerers.
As part of the National Garden Scheme, The Old Rectory, Farnborough, near Wantage OX12 8NX will be open on June 28th and August 9th. Visitors can admire the collection of old roses and abundantly planted borders while enjoying beautiful views and rare plants and wild flowers.
Wiltshire
There are around 2,000 roses throughout the garden at Abbey House Manor Gardens, Malmesbury, with climbers wandering their way through foxgloves and other flowers. Once part of a Benedictine Monastery, the gardens only open on selected dates during the summer months.
Berkshire
The rose arbor provides seating in an avenue of white and mauve alliums and white camtasisa at Rockwood Garden, Newbury where you can enjoy a tour with tea lead by the owners.
The 12 acre garden at Englefield House, Theale, descends from the hill above the historic house through woodland featuring mature native trees. Stone balustrades enclose the lower terrace with lawns, roses and mixed borders.
Greys Court near Henley is full of wonderful sights and scents as the roses come into bloom throughout June. The rose garden traces the history of the rose from the early damask varieties to the modern hybrid perennials.
Through June, August and September, the Rose Garden at Basildon Park is planted with old roses, replicating Lady Iliffe’s original design. Look out for two of the gardeners’ favourite roses: Rosa mundi and Rosa ‘Compte de Chambord’, which is also known as ‘Madame Boll’ or ‘Madame Knorr’.
Take in the scent of the contemporary rose garden at Savill Garden, Windsor, with its viewing platform overlooking the roses and the garden beyond and wander beside borders planted with old fashioned scented French musk roses.
Celebrate all things floral at the Royal Windsor Flower Show on Saturday, 10th June. Led by the show’s Honorary President, Alan Titchmarsh who will welcome a host of special guests and performances, with plant growers, garden designers, artisan producers and top-notch chefs on hand to demonstrate and share their knowledge.
Buckinghamshire
Cliveden’s rose garden features over 900 repeat flowering roses in shades of red, orange and yellow. Reinstated in 2014 based on a 1950s design by Sir Geoffrey Jellicoe, you can enjoy them in bloom from late May until September.
Visitors to Waddesdon this month will be able to enjoy the sweet scent of the rose garden as the colourful blooms fill the stately setting. The beds in the Aviary and Parterre are awash with colour influenced by Victorian-inspired planting.
In addition to the stately splendour of Cliveden and Waddesdon, several gardens are opening as part of the National Garden Scheme this month. Overstroud Cottage Garden in The Dell, Frith Hill, Great Missenden, HP16 9QE, is opening its gates on Sunday, 4th June for visitors to admire the rambling roses and their ‘lookalike’ peonies among others. With a plant stall too you may even be able to pick up some specimens for your garden!
Maidenhead Open Gardens will feature about 20 gardens on June 24th and 25th with gardens large and small on display showcasing their blooms. Meet the keen gardeners and pick up some tips as you discover more about the hidden gems in the area. Earlier in the month, on 11th, visit the garden at St Timothee, Darlings Lane, Pinkneys Green, SL6 6PA and take in the sights and scents of the two-acre garden at this 1930s house where, in addition to the rose terrace, a box parterrre, ornamental grasses and wildlife pond add to the delight.
Plant the equivalent of 136 trees and save up to £1,000 a year, with these essential energy saving tips from Worcester Bosch.
At this worrying time, when utility bills are set to hit many of us hardest, Worcester Bosch has shared its handy tips to help you save money and the planet.
Making changes to your heating set-up can help save you up to £1,000 throughout the year.
The carbon emission saving is the equivalent to planting 136 trees or driving a car 1,606 miles. The distance which is nearly a full trip from John O’Groats to Land’s End and back!
Making the planet a greener place to live for the next generation is at the heart of Worcester Bosch. By following these tips, you could play your part in reducing carbon emissions
There are several ways for homeowners to cut costs. Helping them save energy and to live more sustainably, several of which require minimal to zero cost or hassle.
Tip 1: Take control of your heating
– Annual saving = £105. – Equivalent to planting up to 11 trees, or driving 129 miles
By turning down the room thermostat just one degree, you will net up to a £105 saving per year. The 200kg CO2 of emissions saved is equivalent to a 129mile trip, or a further 11 trees planted. Aim for 17°C when you’re out and about, and a cosy 18-21°C when you’re at home.
Martyn Bridges, director of technical services at Worcester Bosch, says: “You cannot underestimate how important it is to take control of your home heating. These simple but effective changes, such as turning your radiator down by a single degree, could have a significant impact on the planet and your savings too.”
Tip 2: Shower Time
– Annual saving = up to £70. – Equivalent to planting up to 7 trees, or driving 86 miles
Nothing beats having a hot shower to ease the stresses of the day. But by following these simple tips, you can reduce your energy usage while still enjoying a relaxing early morning or late-night shower.
The biggest change you can make is cutting your shower time down, ideally to around four-minutes. A household could see up to £70 a year saved on their energy bill just from a speedy shower as well as significantly reducing the amount of water used.
Martyn gives the guidance: “We all love having a hot shower, but a significant amount of hot water is used, contributing to energy usage and your bills. Taking the steps to use showers instead of baths and using a timer to measure how long you are taking could be a simple step to lower your energy usage.”
Tip 3: Trap your heat
– Annual saving = up to £190. – Equivalent to planting up to 19 trees, or driving 234 miles
Making sure you keep the heat trapped inside of your home is an easy, yet effective tip that you could put into place this World Earth Day. One super simple tip is to draft proof your windows and doors. You would be surprised about how much heat escapes through those tiny gaps which are found around your window, in your keyhole, and in your letterbox. Covering those tiny gaps could save you around £45 and saves the same amount of energy as planting four trees.
To take this one step further, you could add an insulated jacket to an uninsulated hot water cylinder. Insulating your hot water cylinder will reduce the heat loss resulting in the water remaining hotter for longer. This tip is a huge energy saver, which is the equivalent of planting 15 trees! Insulating your hot water cylinder properly could save you up to £145 which could make a huge difference as energy prices increase.
Martyn explains: “Trapping the heat in your home should be a priority. These small gaps needlessly bring the cold air in. Reversing all the changes you have made to keep your home warm. From little tasks like closing those gaps to slightly bigger tasks such as getting an insulated jacket, you’re not only protecting the planet, but helping lower your energy bills too.”
Tip 4: Small changes, big results
– Annual saving = up to £30. – Equivalent to planting up to three trees, or driving 37 miles
Sometimes it is the smallest changes that have the biggest impact. Technology is a core part of our life but remember to put your devices on standby when not using them. Net an extra £30 saving by being savvy with your device shuts down.
“Although they may seem like unimportant changes, they could make huge changes to your home, the planet, and your bills.”
Martyn explains: “Switching off appliances once you use them is a small way to ensure that you reduce your energy usage. Although they may seem like unimportant changes, they could make huge changes to your home, the planet, and your bills.”
Tip 5: Upgrade your boiler
– Annual saving = depending on technology – up to £910. – Equivalent to planting up to 96 trees, or driving 1,120 miles
A boiler replacement from an inefficient to a modern, more efficient model can be a major and immediate cost and environment saver. The EST figures show that making the switch could end up saving you almost four figures every year.
By upgrading from a G-rated boiler to a more sustainable A-rated model (including TRV’s and a smart controller) – working at 90% more efficiency and saving up to 1,630kg CO2 every year. You’re not only managing your energy usage more efficiently in the longer term, but also saving the equivalent carbon off-set as planting 61 trees would do. This upgrade could save you £580.
Heat pumps are a newer, efficient technology in the domestic heating industry. In simple terms they work by taking energy from outside and transferring it into heat for use in a heating and hot water system. The product and subsequent installation are more expensive than a boiler upgrade. But once you paid out the initial cost – a change from a G rated boiler to a heat pump can save you even more – up to £910, with a carbon saving equal to planting 96 trees.
Martyn adds: “Upgrading a G-rated boiler to one which is A-rated can make a significant in your home. The A-rated boilers are an efficient choice which could ultimately help you save money on your bills. Not to mention help us to protect the future.”
To find out more about Worcester Bosch award-winning home heating and hot water products, visit worcester-bosch.co.uk/ or head to the YouTube channel.
Rainscape supply and fit demountable flood barriers to domestic and business properties to provide agile, self-assembly flood protection
Flooding is a natural phenomenon that is increasingly affecting the UK, creating serious problems for home-owners in high-risk areas. You can protect your home with the help of a flood protection system from Rainscape.
Their lightweight, robust aluminium profiles protect doors, gates, windows and entire surfaces against flood water, offering you and your home maximum security.
As an existing PREFA license holder, they offer their high-quality flood protection systems, imported direct from PREFA in Austria and with rapid installation and easy assembly your home can be protected in a matter of minutes.
Mounting profiles (for Door Barrier) or ground sleeves (for Wall Barriers) are permanently attached in advance so that the system can be easily assembled in the event of a flood. This ensures that you can react at lightning speed when the storm comes.
Rainscape also offer a range of roofing solutions including advanced flat-roofing systems, metal roofing and cladding systems, traditional and heritage roofing and energy efficient, eco-friendly solutions too, all for both residential and commercial purposes.
To find out more about Rainscape could help you and to take advantage of the 20% discount on off-the-shelf residential and commercial flood systems until September 6th, please visit rain-scape.co
A move to McCarthy Stone’s Jupiter House in Milton Keynes has helped give a retired newsagent a social network and greater peace of mind
Having spent nearly 40 years behind the till of their family-run newsagents alongside her husband, Jill Lee, 75, was used to the hustle and bustle that comes with being at the heart of the community.
After the loss of her husband Graham over 10 years ago, Jill and her family decided that it could be a good time for her to downsize and luckily, spotted McCarthy Stone’s Jupiter House under construction, just a ten-minute walk from daughter Katie’s home near Milton Keynes.
“There’s always someone to have a chat with and I’ve got all of my friends right on my doorstep!”
Katie says: “We decided to move mum into a relatively new house, in a quiet cul-de-sac but after 40 years of living in a busy newsagents, it was just too quiet for her and she was becoming quite lonely and isolated.”
Jill’s younger daughter, Isobel, lives in California with her two children, and with the pandemic severely impacting travel, being closer to loved ones was something the family felt would be beneficial for Jill. Katie says: “We were driving around one day near to where we live in Milton Keynes when we spotted the hoardings going up for Jupiter House. I said ‘why don’t you move here so you’re closer to us?’ and mum agreed so we registered as soon as we could!”
Jill and her daughter Katie
After so many years being surrounded by people, this was an important factor in Jill’s decision to move, as she explains: “Our life was the newsagents, we used to open at 6am and close at 8pm at night, meeting and talking to people – that’s what we loved to do. When my husband died and I moved, although I had neighbours, they were always out at work, and really, I led quite a lonely life and I missed having people around me. Now, there’s always someone to have a chat with and I’ve got all of my friends right on my doorstep!”
Since moving into her one-bedroom apartment in May 2021, which she did using McCarthy Stone’s convenient ‘Smooth Move’ scheme, Jill has wasted no time getting to know her new neighbours, and has even started what has become known as ‘The 2 O’Clock Club’ with some of her fellow homeowners.
As well as offering a much-needed social network it has made a positive impact on Jill’s life and also offered the family greater peace of mind and the safety net of knowing Sarah the House Manager and her team are on hand if needed. Jill added: “We can’t speak highly enough of them; they’re always going out of their way to help.”
Jupiter House features a selection of one and two-bedroom apartments, built exclusively for the over-60’s. Homeowners can also enjoy a spacious communal homeowners lounge and beautiful landscaped gardens while visiting relatives can make use of the handy hotel-style guest suite.
Prices for the one and two-bedroom apartments at Jupiter House currently start from £225,000 and £340,000 respectively. Rental and part buy part rent options are also available to make moving even easier.
For more information on Retirement Living in Milton Keynes, please call 0800 201 4743 or visit www.mccarthystone.co.uk.
Berkeley Invites Community to Take Part in Photo Competition Celebrating Nature:
Award-winning local housebuilder Berkeley Homes has launched a photography and drawing competition open to all residents local to the Woodhurst Park development in Warfield for a chance to win a Polaroid instant camera.
The competition aims to celebrate landscapes and nature as the season changes, encouraging families to explore local nature trails and capture what they see.
The winners of the competition will win an Instax or Polaroid instant camera, which will be handed over at a prize ceremony at the Woodhurst Park Sales and Marketing Suite, where the best pictures will be on display for the public to see. Two runners up of each of the three age categories (11 years and under, 12 to 17 years and 18 years and over) will receive a £25 Amazon voucher.
Entries will remain open until Tuesday 16th November and should be submitted to [email protected]. Entries can also be submitted in person to the sales and marketing suite at Woodhurst Park, or on Instagram with the hashtag #StepIntoWHP and by tagging @berkeley_group.
Submissions will be judged by local photographer Karen Bennett and the Berkeley Homes Sales and Marketing Director.
Please note competition terms and conditions below:
The competition is only open to residents of the United Kingdom.
There is no entry fee or purchase necessary to enter this competition.
All entrants under 18 must have permission of a responsible adult over 18.
Only one entry will be accepted per person.
Closing date is the 16th November 2021, after this date no further entries to the competition will be permitted.
No responsibility can be accepted for entries not received for reasons out of our control.
Berkeley Homes reserves the right to cancel or amend the competition and these terms and conditions without notice, but any changes to the competition/offer will be notified to entrants as soon as possible by the promoter.
Berkeley Homes is not responsible for inaccurate prize/offer details supplied to entrants by any third party.
The prize is as stated no cash or other alternatives will be offered. Prizes are subject to availability and Berkeley Homes reserves the right to substitute any prize with another of equivalent value without giving notice.
Prizes are not transferable and cannot be resold.
Competition winners will be selected by Berkeley Homes from all entries received.
All entrants must be willing to provide full name, contact details and address and to have these details passed to the suppliers of the prizes.
Any competition winner agrees to the use of his/her name and image in any publicity material, including on the Berkeley Homes website and social media. Any personal data relating to the winner or any other entrants will be used solely in accordance with current data protection legislation and will not be disclosed to a third party without the entrant’s prior consent.
Entry into the competition gives Berkeley Homes permission to use submitted entries in any future promotional materials, on their website and on social media.
Entry into the competition will be deemed as acceptance of these terms and conditions.
Gardarica offers ‘living walls’ tailor made to the needs of your home, garden or business from design to construction
The last year had us all spending much more time indoors, whether due to lockdown or self-isolating. It is more important than ever to create a living space that is refreshing both aesthetically and to create a better atmosphere to live and work.
Living Walls has been the new thing for interior design and landscape design, and an amazing solution for a quick and easy renovation, breathing life to your home.
Benefits of green walls
Improved mental & physical health
The presence of living walls reduce bacteria, mould and dust, ensuring that your environment is healthier. People in spaces with green walls experience less headaches and tiredness than people in traditional homes. A greener environment will make your home more relaxing and allow for better productivity.
Better air quality & flow
Living walls purify the air converting harmful particles into oxygen. Studies have shown that better air quality leads to a more positive mood. This is a fantastic way to make your property a more positive environment.
Temperature Control
Living walls naturally regulate the temperature in your space, creating a pleasant atmosphere.
They simply look great!
Apart from all the practical benefits, a simple fact remains, a green wall looks fantastic and it will lift your mood!
Did you know?
There are several plants that boost your immune system and limit viruses in the atmosphere
There are plants, like Aloe Vera and many more, that produce oxygen even in night time
You can choose to have a green wall designed and constructed for you, or if you are on a low budget you could even start one yourself
Gardarica uses patented products from recycled oceanic plastics to create a unique design that matches your needs and budget.
Contact Gardarica to find out more at [email protected] or call 020 398 319 60.
For our tips on how to show your home some love, click here
Volunteers are using their love of sewing to help make scrubs for health care workers
There’s no end of people putting their skills to use during the coronavirus crisis and that includes those handy with a sewing machine who have been making scrubs for health care workers.
Madeleine Steele, pictured, is just one who has been helping. She set up the South Oxfordshire and Berkshire Scrub Hub from her home in Crowmarsh making garments and masks for the NHS and people working in social care.
She said: “It was a Facebook post on Easter Monday that I saw about people making scrubs and I thought that’s a great idea, I’ll see if I can join in. There weren’t any other ScrubHubs in our area so I called my old school friend and asked her if she wanted to set it up with me.”
The South Oxfordshire and Berkshire Scrub Hub is a network of volunteers operating in Abingdon, Didcot, Wallingford, Henley, Reading, Caversham, Woodley, Earley, Winnersh, Wokingham and Tilehurst.
Their aim is to plug the gap as an emergency helping hand by supporting our health care professionals without scrubs during the current crisis.
The volunteer network ‘who love to sew’ is operating all over the country answering calls from workers through their networks and communities. The scrubs are made to order by experienced volunteers, working safely within the guidelines of the lock down, often with donated materials.
If you are member of the public and you’d like to sponsor their efforts visit the GoFundMe page.
Donations will help support the NHS Practitioners health service who care for and support the mental well being of NHS workers, who are doing such a selfless job during this time.
Facing the challenge
Local schools are supporting NHS frontline workers in the battle against coronavirus with the production of face shields and protective screens
PPE – before the coronavirus most of us would not have heard of this or indeed be aware of its importance – now we hear of the need for it on a daily basis.
Schools across Berkshire have been working to produce face shields and screens for use in GP practices and hospitals.
One project was the brainchild of Leighton Park School’s Head of Design and Technology, Mark Smith who began making the protective wear in the Reading school’s workshop with an original target of 200.
Mark said: “We are fortunate at Leighton Park to have access to tools and resources that can make a difference and keep our keyworkers safe: I just had to do something.”
Using the laser cutter to create re-usable plastic headbands he then attached disposable A4 PVC sheets donated by Reading-based stationery suppliers Frasers Office Supplies.
A plea for additional laser cutters was met by other schools in the area and there is now a network of manufacturers involved including the University of Reading, Neal’s Export Packaging Ltd, in Silchester, and rLAB, a community workshop space.
School partners include Denefield School, Edgbarrow School, Prospect School, Reading Blue Coats, Shiplake College, Holme Grange School, The Forest School, Brackenhale School, Waingels College, The Bulmershe School, Luckley House, Warriner School, Little Heath, Ranelagh and St Joseph’s College.
Since starting production on April 2nd they have supplied more than 80 organisations with shields.
The Oratory school near Woodcote has also risen to the challenge to help the local community after it was approached by Dr Amanda Gemmill, a GP and the school’s Head of PSHE. She asked the Design LabOratory to construct protective screens for the Goring and Woodcote surgeries to offer protection to reception staff.
The Design LabOratory began with three polycarbonate screens which were installed on a Saturday to ensure the surgery was not disrupted.
Word of the screens spread and Strawberry Hill Medical Centre in Newbury put in a request which required more material and a more robust construction. They have since made screens for surgeries in Woodcote, Goring, Newbury, Henley, Wokingham and Abingdon with orders from two practices in Oxford.
The Design LabOratory is now producing face shields with the use of 3D printers and has delivered to medical practices in Woodcote and Goring, to Marcham Road Surgery in Abingdon, Sue Ryder in Nettlebed and Townlands Hospital in Henley.
Working together
Buckinghamshire schools come together to make PPE for healthcare workers
Schools and colleges across the county have been playing their part to support the NHS and other local health services to help keep frontline staff safe. Using their 3D printers they have created safety visors for the NHS and donated PPE equipment to support healthcare staff.
Thanks to the fantastic work of schools from all parts of the county, hundreds of visors have been produced and distributed to frontline healthcare professionals. Many local businesses played their part too, donating items such as lab coats, goggles and gloves, after hearing about the work schools were doing from parents or teachers.
Many schools across the county, including Buckingham School, Stowe School, Westbury School, Sir Thomas Fremantle School, Holmer Green School, Sir William Borlase’s School, Wycombe Grammar School, Wycombe High School, Highworth Combined School and Sir William Ramsay School have also produced (using their 3D printers) or donated essential PPE equipment such as goggles and lab coats.
Buckinghamshire UTC has also donated 30 protective goggles and their Principal Sarah Valentine personally bought six lab coats from Amazon for delivery to Stoke Mandeville Hospital.
Cllr Anita Cranmer, Buckinghamshire Council’s Cabinet Member for Education, said: “I’m hugely impressed by the time, effort and heart that our education community has put into creating and donating PPE for our healthcare workers.
“This is a fantastic example of how Buckinghamshire is coming together and a tribute to our hardworking and dedicated healthcare workers who are helping to keep us all safe during these challenging times. Another amazing initiative that shows just how #ProudofBucks we are.”
In addition, Aylesbury High School, The Grange School in Aylesbury, Beachborough School at Westbury, and the University of Buckingham have also got involved in the production and donation of PPE to local NHS trusts.
Vince Murray, Headteacher of The Grange School, said: “As a school we were more than willing to respond to the call for PPE equipment through the collection of goggles and laboratory coats. It was also lovely to see some of our students making ‘scrub bags’ for the NHS, alongside their teacher (Miss Friend) while they were in school.
“We see ourselves as a community school. We were only too happy to contribute, in a small way, to maintaining the safety of other key workers looking after those in our hospitals, and providing essential care for others at a time when they need it most.”
Mel Downing is one of a consortium of local curtain makers who came together to make scrubs for healthcare workers
At the end of March we were aware there was a real shortage of scrubs – all healthcare workers were going to need them and due to the contagious nature of Covid-19 would need several sets each and wash bags for them to be put in once taken off and laundered.
A consortium of local curtain makers set up a Justgiving page to raise money to buy rolls of washable polycotton, within days we had raised a few thousand. The total now is more than £15,000.
I have run Melanie Downing Interiors, a busy curtain design company for 25 years and one of my blind makers Julie Knaggs had trained as a pattern cutter. We decided the best way forward was to bulk cut the fabric and then hand out kits for people to sew depending on their skills.
This saved us so much time and also very little wasted fabric. It was really important we sent out beautifully made scrubs that were made to last. We created a Facebook page and very quickly had an army of more than 80 volunteers from curtain makers, dress makers, costume makers, and even a tutu maker.
Local hubs were established in Farnham, Guildford, Haslemere, Petersfield, Petworth and Godalming to try and reduce journeys and volunteer drivers co-ordinated delivery and collection.
Realising the phenomenal demand we also enlisted the help of Mint Velvet who delivered 800 sets to Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford, for us.
We have supplied more than 2,500 sets to The Royal Surrey, Frimley Park, Basingstoke Hospital and Hospice, Haslemere, Petworth, Milford and Alton Community Hospitals, Phyllis Tuckwell, Marie Curie, Macmillan, Meath Home, Ticehurst Care Home, Aldershot Community team and numerous GP surgeries as well as several private requests.
It has been an incredible logistical challenge to achieve so much in such a short space of time but worth it to know it is being used.
There are so many talented people in the area and the team spirit has just been such a positive experience. I feel lucky to have been able to use my business experience and skills to co-ordinate such an important project with the help of so many really amazing people.
We are now starting to make masks which will be distributed primarily via local food banks and hope these will be sent out with a wash bag and soap stressing the importance of continued hand washing.
Most of the professional seamstresses in the team are currently unable to work due to restrictions re visiting people’s homes but hoping we can soon get back to work!
A teacher has set up a volunteer sewing group to make scrubs for health care workers
Sewing enthusiasts have been taking to their machines to answer the call for scrubs, masks, scrub bags and gowns to help support front line workers.
Head of Design & Technology at Glebelands School in Cranleigh, Tamsin Mitchell (pictured), heard local frontline workers were faced with a drastic shortage of scrubs, masks, and similar equipment, and decided to pitch in.
Having seen a Facebook post from a nurse who works for Royal Surrey County Hospital in Guildford, she contacted her to see if there was anything she could sew to help.
“She wanted scrubs bags, so people can change at hospital and take their uniform home in the bag and pop it straight in the wash. I went online to see if I could get more people on board, and I found a national group called For the Love of Scrubs. They had subpages for local areas, and there wasn’t one for Cranleigh. So I volunteered.”
Tamsin formed NHS Sewing Cranleigh and Dorking to mobilise local sewing enthusiasts including Glebelands pupils. The group already has more than 65 members, who have together produced items for St Joseph’s Specialist School and College and more than half a dozen other local organisations, including care homes and medical practices.
Tamsin said: “It’s a real community effort. Everyone is stepping up to the plate and helping each other. In a time of need, it’s the practical and creative skills that make a difference.”
Anyone in need of items or wanting to join the group should contact Tamsin through the NHS Sewing Cranleigh and Dorking group on Facebook.
Supporting Surrey SAR
The science department at King Edward’s Witley donates PPE to Surrey Search & Rescue
In 2010, relies solely on donations to purchase vital lifesaving equipment and provide training for its team.King Edward’s Witley has delivered much-needed supplies of personal protective equipment in response to an urgent appeal from Surrey Search & Rescue.
Woking-based charity, Surrey SAR – a voluntary specialist search team – posted a request on Facebook for vital supplies of PPE to protect their responders as they help Surrey Police and the county council at this time, checking on the welfare of vulnerable members of the community.
King Edward’s science department technician, Alison Hill sourced, sterilised and packed boxes of protective goggles and disposable gloves which were given to the charity.
Head of Science, Jim Culbert said they were delighted to be able to support Surrey SAR: “This is an amazing organisation. During the current coronavirus pandemic, Surrey Search & Rescue is playing a pivotal role in checking on the welfare of those who are deemed particularly susceptible to the virus, ensuring they remain well and lending a caring and sympathetic ear when people need it most.”
Surrey SAR assists the emergency services in the search for missing vulnerable adults and children. Volunteers, assisted by search dogs and drones, deliver an on-call response service 24 hours a day across Surrey and surrounding areas, when the emergency services need their specialist skills.
On average 2,100 people go missing in Surrey each year and as such Surrey SAR is one of the busiest search & rescue teams in the UK. The charity, which was formed in 2010, relies solely on donations to purchase vital lifesaving equipment and provide training for its team.
