Stonehill Community Garden - July News

Goodbye to Rachel - This month we say goodbye to Rachel, our Project Coordinator for the last two years.  Rachel says: "I've had a wonderful time over the last two years helping the garden develop and meeting all the visitors.  The garden has come on such a long way and I am grateful to all those who have supported the project.  Here are some of my favourite photos from the last two years at Stonehill"

Hello to Naomi - We are lucky enough to welcome Naomi to the team as Fundraiser for Stonehill. Naomi says: "I'm so excited about the project and the potential for it, I can't wait to get going".  You will catch Naomi at the garden on some Wednesdays.

Supporting the garden - All support to the garden is appreciated, and that doesn't have to be always attending and gardening on Wednesdays.  Our produce is sold for donations from the garden on Wednesdays, we always welcome unwanted garden tools or plants and seeds, and if you can help spread the word about Stonehill, take a leaflet or like us on Facebook.  We are a Charity which relies on donations and grant funding to stay open, and any support is welcome.  We look forward to hearing from you.

Polytunnel update - Polytunnel number two has recently become a tropical forest garden, planted on one of our courses, incorporating plants such as Medlar, Quince and Almond trees, among others.  The planting will be interspersed with tropical annuals such as aubergines, tomatoes and chillies.  Please feel free to visit any Wednesday.

Support - There are many ways in which you can support us, both at the garden and away from it, get in touch if you would like to get involved.

Our produce is sold every Wednesday from the garden - we're there between 10am - 4pm.

Privacy Statement

The Tithe Farm and Ladygrove Residents’ Association Committee have considered the implications of GDPR and confirm that we do not receive or hold any personal data or details of residents.  No information such as names, email addresses, phone numbers or financial data is obtained from residents.  Should any emails or phone messages be received from residents, these are deleted after action.

Accounts 2018

Our accounts for the year 2017-18 have been examined and accepted as correct.  If anyone wants to look at these, please let us know.

Plant Swap CANCELLED

In view of the poor 'growing' weather so far, the plant swap planned for the 12th May has been CANCELLED.

Apologies for any disappointment.

Criminal Damage to Vehicles

We are appealing for witnesses following a number of vehicles being damaged in the area of Victoria Road.  One male has been arrested and officers are continuing their enquiries.  If you saw anyone in the area causing damage to vehicles at approximately 12.40am on 22nd April then please get in touch by calling 101.  If your vehicle has been damaged and you have not yet reported it to the police then please phone 101.

Alternatively, if you have information but wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111 or online by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org.  No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

Importance of Dog Mico-chipping

Since April 2016 it has been a legal requirement for all dogs to be microchipped by 8 weeks of age.

Having your dog microchipped can make a lot of difference when looking for and trying to identify a missing dog.  Each microchip has a unique number that must be registered on a Government approved database along with information about your dog and you as its owner.  If your dog is not registered on one of these databases you can be fined.

It is important that the information is kept up-to-date so that if your dog does go missing, you can be contacted at the correct phone number or address.

Reporting it to the police as soon as possible is also important, including making us aware of the microchip number so we can record this on our database.  This will make it easier for us to identify any dogs that are found and check to see if they have been reported as missing or stolen.

It is also recommended to record the loss or theft of your dog online using sites dedicated to finding lost and stolen dogs.  Often these sites work with police and other organisations, such as local Neighbourhood Watch Groups and Vetinary practices, to try and find them.

More information on microchipping your dog can be found on the Government website.

In 2016, the Dogs Trust recorded that 9,000 stray dogs were reunited with their owners due to having a microchip with up-to-date details.

The People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA) also reported that in 2017, 11% of dog owners did not realise that it was a requirement by law to have their dog microchipped and a further 7% had not updated their details when they needed to.

Illegal Scrap Metal Collecting

The Police have received an increase in reports of illegal scrap metal collections from homes in our area.

The reports say that the vehicle seen is a white transit van.  Please remain vigilant and report any suspicious looking people or vehicles, taking down detailed descriptions of the people, the vehicle and registration plates.

Call 101 and quote reference 43180116539 with any information or 999 if a crime is occurring at that time.

Alternatively, if you have information but wish to remain anonymous, please call Crimestoppers on 0800-555-111 or online by visiting www.crimestoppers-uk.org.  No personal details are taken, information is not traced or recorded and you will not go to court.

If you would like any further advice or information please call us via the 24 hour non-emergency telephone number 101 or visit www.thamesvalley.police.uk 

Refill your Detergents!!!

SESI is a social enterprise which supplies organic, fair-trade and local food, and sustainable, locally made detergents for people's own containers, cutting down on waste, packaging and recycling.

Added Ingredients in Stert Street are now a 'Refill Station' selling Washing Up Liquid and Fabric Conditioner at £2 for 1 litre and £1.20 for 1/2 litre, and Laundry Detergent at £2.50 for 1 litre and £1.50 for 1/2 litre.

Please note you must take in a 1/2 litre or 1 litre bottles to fill up - nothing else is accepted.

Pharmacy 2U Home Delivery

In the last few days, most of us have had letters from Pharmacy2U, offering to arrange the ordering and delivery of our medicines.  While some of us may find this convenient, we should be aware that this is an on-line company, apparently not part of the NHS, despite the logos on their letters.  It may be sensible for those interested to do some further research about Pharmacy2U before signing up with them.

Stonehill Community Garden - May News

We are recruiting!

We need a fundraiser to join our team; this is an exciting role for someone with fundraising experience.  One day a week, this person will join our small team and be fundamental to the successful running of the garden.  If you have any questions, please get in touch on info@stonehillgardens.co.uk.  See full details here.

New courses in Eco building and Growing Food

• May - Advanced Edible Horticulture - FREE - Learn about orchards, raised beds, fruit production, compost, ponds, wildlife in the garden, urban food production and how to set up a small enterprise.  Suitable for beginners.  Book here.

• 11th - 15th June - Eco building - FREE - Build a building from scratch in 5 days - foundations, timber frame, walls, green roof and plastering.  Suitable for beginners.  Book here.

• June - Urban Food Production - FREE - Learn about woodlands, management of trees, reading the landscape, designing food production systems.  Suitable for existing gardeners, or attendees of our Advanced Edible Horticulture course.  Progression possible to more advanced courses in the future.  Book here.

Polytunnels update - Our first Polytunnel is now built and covered!  We've started planting and sowing already in it and you are very welcome to help on Wednesdays.  We also need to start constructing our second Polytunnel, so all hands to the deck on Wednesdays.

Support - There are many ways in which you can support us, both at the garden and away from it, get in touch if you would like to be involved in a small or big way.