South Cliff Gardens is blessed with excellent volunteer and community involvement thanks to the Friends of South Cliff Gardens who were established in 2006.
The group’s aims include protecting and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife, flora and fauna, historical interest and facilities of the Gardens; promoting and raising funds to improve the Gardens and encourage their use; and organising social and educational events & activities in the Gardens.
Members receive a regular Newsletter and they hold Open Evenings and events throughout the year. These have included family events and concerts in the gardens, gardeners’ question times, organised walks and bird box building days.
Every month they hold litterpicks and ‘Volunteers In Parks’ gardening days and all events are advertised on their Noticeboards, in the Newsletters and on the website.
Over the years the group has grown in strength and capacity and has delivered a range of small improvement projects, most recently a £50,000 restoration of the Rose Garden funded through the Your Heritage programme.
The Friends of South Cliff Gardens led by Adrian Perry initiated the Saving South Cliff Gardens project, submitted the first application to the Heritage Lottery Fund and have since played a central role. Their January 2019 newsletter describes how the project evolved:
…/friends-newsletter-january-2019/
The group will be essential partners in the delivery of this project and will help the Council sustain the gardens in the long term future.
Visit their website: www.friendsofsouthcliffgardens.com
