Walled garden receives £23,000 grant

VOLUNTEERS who are working to maintain a well-loved part of Eastcote have received a grant of £23,000.

Groundwork UK have given the grant to The Friends of Eastcote House Gardens on behalf of the Big Lottery Fund to restore the 16th Century walled garden.

Lesley Crowcroft, one of the volunteers, said: "The grant will be used for new planting, especially the herb beds which were originally planted in 1977 to celebrate the Queen's Silver Jubilee, and to put up boards giving the the history of the site.

"The Eastcote Garden Volunteers will be running the project and at the planting stage we will be involving the local schools and young people groups.

"We thought that we had a good chance of receiving the grant because so many residents and local groups are supportive of the gardens. They are unique, being the only publicly owned 16th Century walled garden in Hillingdon.

"The scope for involving schools and young people is tremendous, giving our young people a chance to become involved in their heritage.

"To keep these gardens in tip top order takes a vast amount of money, so it was considered that trying to gain sponsorship was a good idea so as not to syphon funds away from from other parks in the area."

To become a volunteer go to the walled garden on the third Thursday of each month at 9.30am or call Mrs Crowcroft on 020 8866 8436.

The car park entrance to the walled garden is off of High Road, Eastcote, and there are pedestrians entrances on St Lawrence Drive and next to the High Road/Field End Road roundabout.