As the Friends of Radipole Park and Gardens in Weymouth we work alongside Weymouth Parks department who maintain these beautiful gardens, but sadly with todays economic cut backs and limited funds, they have to rely on community groups like ours to help maintain and provide extra facilities.

Our latest project is to raise £20,000 to fund a sensory garden in a disused and un-sightly corner of the gardens where the dilapidated old brick toilets once stood.

Our vision is of an enclosed safe space open to everyone and accessible to all ages and abilities. Places to sit where people can immerse themselves at the level of the planting for sensory appreciation.

Within it there'll be a series of raised beds, each one to be planted up and maintained by various disability groups, enabling them to have their own outdoor space to care for and enjoy.

It'll be designed to be wildlife friendly, with bird boxes,

log piles, bee boxes etc, something we care a great deal about and work towards improving in our gardens. We are great believers that nature, wildlife and wellbeing go hand in hand and can be soothing for mind and body.

As a small volunteer group we are continually fund-raising to help improve our local park and gardens for the whole community.

So far, over the last couple of years, we have managed to raise nearly £14,000 towards our sensory garden target through a variety of channels, from events in the gardens to plant sales, generous individual donations and from local businesses.

We now need that last push to reach our target. Can you help? No matter what amount you donate from £1.00 to £10.00 it all goes towards improving this derelict area and creating a sensory garden that everyone can enjoy.

Our Total approximate costs of £20,000 consists of;

1) Groundworks including laying surfacing suitable for wheelchairs

2) Approx 10 wooden Raised beds some of which will be wheelchair accessible

3) Small strong steel container for storage of tools for various groups to be able to use when they visit.

4) A selection of gardening tools some of which will be those suitable for use by people with limited ability.

4) Installing measures such as security lights for night time.

5) Various seating around the garden, wooden and gabion seats.

6) Materials for wildlife habitats such as bird and bat boxes, stone walls and log piles etc.

7) Various Items making space useable for all such as signs in braille.

8) Covering any labour costs that we can't find suitable or professional workforce to do on a volunteer basis.

9) Plants to create garden and fill beds.

10) Depending on funds raised we would love to install a piece of tactile art that can be appreciated by using all senses.

Excitedly, we will be working alongside Michelle Brown, garden design lecturer at Kingston Maurward college, and her students. Designing and creating our sensory garden will become part of their on-going course. At present they are working on a garden for this years Chelsea Flower show.

Which brings in another historic link. Renown landscape architect, Edward White of Milner, White and son, Radipole's original garden designer in the 1930's, was one of the first directors of the Chelsea Flower show.

Work will begin this autumn on the groundworks using as many volunteers as we can muster and hopefully donations of goods and time from local companies.

We aim to complete and be open for guests so to speak in the spring of next year.