The Viaduct Gardening
Club has Mrs Cate Bowman (NGS Assistant County Organiser for Cumbria)
as a member. Therefore it was a real bonus for members to listen to
her presentation about the history of the National Garden Scheme.
The Scheme is the
most significant fundraiser of Nursing Charities in Great Britain.
Last year it raised £3,000,000 from the sale of tickets to see
beautiful gardens, and to enjoy drinking tea and eating cakes!
The list of NGS
beneficiaries include the Queen's Nursing Institute, Macmillan Cancer
Support, Marie Curie, Carer's Trust, Hospice UK, Perennial and
Parkinson's UK.
About 3,700 private
gardens open their gates each year and detailed information can be
found on social media and in the NGS handbook. Each county also has a
booklet featuring local gardens.
A Brief History
In 1859, William
Rathbone, a merchant from Liverpool, employed a nurse in order to
care for his sick wife at home. Following his wife's death, Mr
Rathbone kept the nurse on to care for the sick in his neighbourhood.
This was the foundation of District Nursing as we know it today.
In 1926, Elsie Wagg had
the idea for raising monies by opening up private gardens. The charge
was 1 shilling and that first year, over £8,000 was raised. The
following year, the District Nursing Organisation became officially
named 'The Queen's Nursing Institute.
In 1948, following the
war, the National Health Service took over the role of District
Nursing but funds were still needed for retired nurses and for
training new nurses.
The NGS also liaised
with the National Trust and offered to donate funding to the NT to
help them restore and preserve important gardens. In return, the NT
open many gardens for the NGS.
In 1970, £52,000
was raised by people generously opening their gardens for the NGS.
Last year, in Cumbria alone, that figure was raised.
1984 saw Macmillan
Cancer Support join the list of Beneficiary Charities and in 1996,
Marie Curie, Help the Hospices and the Carer's Trust also benefited
from support. In 2013, Parkinson's UK was also added.
Recently the NGS has
benefited from the introduction of attractive new graphics and a new
modern logo.
Jude Jansen
