Volunteering opportunities and activities Autumn 2019
Dear <<First Name>>
We have lots of interesting activities coming up before Christmas. Autumn is peak time in the garden and we have bulb planting and mulching sessions, including some at weekends, plus garden visits and our AGM.
Visit to Middle Temple and Master's House Gardens 10 October 10.30 - 12.30
Join us for a guided tour of the stunning Middle Temple garden and the Master's House garden on Thursday 10th October. Kate Jenrick, Head Gardener at the Middle Temple and Bob McMeekin, Head Gardener of the Master's Garden will give us a private tour of these fabulous green spaces. It is likely there have been gardens in the Temple since the 12th century, although the current design largely dates from the mid-17th century. The planting is a clever mix of the traditional and contemporary with an emphasis on sustainability and biodiversity. Please contact Marion Blair to secure your place marion.blair@me.com
Plant Recycling Project - first session Monday 7 October from 09.30
Thank you to all those volunteers who have already indicated an interest in helping with this new project. We now have a date for our first plant recycling session 7th October. Every spring and autumn the City changes the bedding to keep floral displays looking fresh. Most of the plants that are removed are then composted as green waste but the perennials and architectural plants still have years of life in them. We want to make City gardens more sustainable and at the same time benefit residents and community groups. If you would like to help with the recycling project, we are looking for volunteers to help lift and pot up plants, or if you are part of a community group, school or resident group and would like to receive some of these rescued plants please contact Jo Rodgers joannakrodgers@gmail.com The first recycling session will be on 7 October. Please contact Jo for exact times and locations.
Bunhill Fields - Every Tuesday morning 10.00 - 12.30
working sessions on the dry shade bed and woodland wildlife area
 Our dry shade bed and woodland area are continuing to look stunning, thanks to our regular team of volunteers. If you would like to join these friendly sessions - sowing seeds, planting wild flowers and updating the plant survey just turn up. We meet at the gate into the Woodland reserve in the north west corner of Bunhill Fields. We will provide gloves and tools, hot drinks and biscuits!
Church Entry: regular gardening sessions and bulb planting day 22 October at 14.00
Join the team looking after this beautiful churchyard garden off Carter Lane near St Paul's. Replanted by FoCG in 2017, it is a gem of a garden with pollinator friendly plants and berry bearing shrubs for birds. The team water, prune and keep the bird feeders topped up. Choose your own time during the week or at weekends or join another volunteer or come with a friend.
If you can't commit to regular sessions but would like an opportunity to get involved, there will be a bulb planting session open to all on Tuesday 22 October starting at 14.00.
Contact marion.blair@me.com for more information.
More Bulb Planting sessions......
We have bought some great spring flowering bulbs for early emerging pollinators - English bluebells, native daffodils, snowdrops, winter aconites, muscari and cyclamen. We would love you to help plant these to brighten up the spring for bees and humans! These sessions are suitable for children, provided they are accompanied by an adult.
Saturday 12 October 11.00 - 12.30: Cleary Garden
Tuesday 22 October 14.00 - 16.00: Church Entry
Saturday 16 November 11.00 - 12.30: St Botolph's Bishopsgate
Please let us know in advance if you would like to come. Contact Marion marion.blair@me.com
AGM 21 November 19.00 - 21.00
and volunteer party
Golden Lane Community Hall
It's our AGM on 21 November. Come along to have your say on what we should be doing next year. Join the committee. Get involved. Meet fellow volunteers. We will be having wine and delicious homemade food after the meeting. All members are welcome. More information will be emailed to you nearer the time.
Time Credits
FoCG belongs to the City's Time Credit network http://www.wearetempo.org/programme/city-london-time-credits. So for every hour you volunteer you can receive a time credit voucher to spend on a huge number of different activities across London. If you would like to receive Time Credits when you volunteer with us please let the Lead Volunteer know. You also need to register as a Time Credit member to receive news of special offers - visits to Kew, West End shows, new spend opportunities etc. Click here to register.
If you have any spare Time Credit vouchers, please donate them to a good cause. One of our members organises trips out in London for refugees and asylum seekers. Time Credits make these trips possible. If you have any Time Credit vouchers you would like to donate, please put them in an envelope with your name - so we can thank you - and leave them with the porter in Shakespeare Tower, Barbican. Thank you!
I'll look forward to seeing you soon.
Best wishes
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