Lifestyle

Blooming beautiful garden raises £1,279.55 for The Christie Hospital

Aimee Belmore July 31, 2019
Cheque presentation: Tom Adamson and Doreen Tetlow, centre; Anita Aspinall and Beryl Prendergast, The Christine’s Women’s Trust Fund; Suzette Wright, Tesco Chadderton; Greg Barrett, Tesco Greenfield; Sobia Ali, Yorkshire Bank; Bernard Fletcher, Fletcher’s Florist; Geoffrey and Lesley Millard, volunteers; and Mary Booth, Saddleworth Monthly magazine.

AN open garden event in Grasscroft was a blooming great success as it raised £1,279.55 and counting for The Christie Hospital.

Tom Adamson and Doreen Tetlow invited the public into their award-winning garden and put on a fantastic spread of refreshments, a bric-a-brac stall, lucky dip, raffle.

A silent auction was held to find homes for signed Manchester City and Manchester United memorabilia, beautifully mounted and framed by Millyard Gallery in Uppermill.

The couple’s eye-catching garden has scooped numerous accolades over 15 years, and includes a fountain, planted wheelbarrows, perennials, shrubs, an array of flowers, begonias and bedding plants.

Everything was blooming brightly in the sunshine for the charity afternoon, which was officially opened by the Mayor of Oldham Cllr Ginny Alexander and her consort Adrian Alexander.

Cllr Alexander, who nominated The Christie has one of her chosen charities this year, cut the ribbon, which was held by Sam and Ava Bell, to launch the event.

OFFICIAL OPENING: Ava and Sam Bell holding the ribbon which was cut by Mayor of Oldham Cllr Ginny Alexander, with husband Adrian, Tom, Doreen, and Rita Pogson and Jean Fleet from The Christie’s Women’s Trust Fund

About 110 people visited throughout the afternoon to marvel at the beautiful setting and helping to raise £903.55.

The silent auction saw the City memorabilia raise £110 and the United £75, which along with donations, brought the total funds to £1,279.55 and counting – a record for the couple’s open garden events.

Tom said: “The weather was kind and it was so nice to see so many people there. The atmosphere was brilliant.

“Some people have made donations as they couldn’t come on the day and we’re still getting money in.

“The positive feedback about the event and the garden has been great. We wanted to put on a really good display as well as raise money for the charity.

“A special mention must go to Newbank Garden Centre. They were unbelievable and so kind to support us with a generous donation towards the planting of the garden so it would look its best for the event.

“Thank you also goes to Gordon Rigg Garden Centre, B&Q and Tesco for their generous support towards the planting, and Smith Knight Fay Oldham who supplied several VW merchandise raffle prizes.

“There is a lot to put in place so to get the support of local and national businesses and people really helps and means a lot to us. We’d like to thank all our sponsors and supporters.”

Other sponsors for the event were: Yorkshire Bank, Park Cake , Kelkay, Currys , Howarth Timber , White Hart Lydgate, The Three Crowns , Fletchers Florist Grotton, Zutti , Travis Perkins, Odeon Cinema, Jo Ferns Salon, Well Pharmacy, Photo 2 Shop,  Hartley Botanic,The Old Plough Chippy, Clayton Green, Toby Carvery, Sainbury’s, A&Y Brierley, Fine Buys,  The Post Office  Uppermill, Robert Scott’s, SJ Signs.