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Newsletter No 1 Autumn 2007
Awards for all Lottery Funding:
The Emsworth Show was the occasion to break the exciting news of the National Lottery 'Awards for All' grant of £10,000 which was obtained by treasurer Frances Jannaway. This huge financial boost means that work can now commence with the hard landscaping, including drainage, walls, entrances, paths and paving.
Patron:
The Friends of Emsworth Memorial Garden are honoured and delighted that Mrs Mary Fagan JP, HM Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire has agreed to be their Patron. It was Mrs Fagan who performed the unveiling of the Sculpture 'Absence' on 11 August 2006.
Membership
The Friends of Emsworth Memorial Garden now has 44 members (as at 30 September) and more are joining every week. Every time we visit a group or run a stall at an event we give out copies of our membership leaflet. Some join right away and others take the leaflet away and send their £3 subscription later.
Chelsea Pensioners
On Friday 14 September, ten Chelsea Pensioners visited the Emsworth Memorial Garden on the SE corner of Horndean Road recreation ground where they held a short ceremony of remembrance addressed by the vicar of St James' Church, the Rev. Simon Sayers and laid a wreath of poppies at the foot of the sculpture 'Absence'.
Prior to this they had visited the Food Festival and reaffirmed their connection with Emsworth.
Work in The Garden
Work has begun. HBC has cut down several diseased trees, they have also provided temporary planting in the raised bed and are now cutting the grass regularly. The 'Friends' also carry out regular work sessions in the garden, cleaning the memorial statue and weeding beds, etc.
Insurance
An unavoidable expense has been public liability insurance, obtained at very reasonable rates through Hampshire Gardens Trust. This insurance enables the group to carry out the work sessions and take part in public events.
Hard Landscaping
With the receipt of the lottery grant, the hard landscaping work is now going out to tender. Soon all the tenders for the work which includes levelling and draining the land, removing old paving slabs, constructing new paths, extending the existing block-work paths, and building new entrance columns, will be in. We hope that work will start by the middle of November.
Garden Design
Sarah Sanderson of the Emsworth Horticultural Society has created the plan for the garden and we now have an impressive artists impression of the complete scheme by Pam Picknett.
Fundraising
The Friends' efforts are now focussing on raising money for the permanent planting and the memorial plaques to complete the Memorial Garden.
Major Donors
Special thanks go to the Emsworth Horticultural Society who donated more than £500 raised at the Emsworth Gardens Open Day on 1 July, and the Emsworth Business Association for a donation of £300. We have also received very generous individual donations from local residents in total amounting to more than £300 and these are very much appreciated.
Schedule of Work
(click to enlarge)
Events attended
We had stalls at the Emsworth Show and the Food Festival. New members joined and some very generous donations were made. During the Food Festival weekend, a stand in the town centre, raised awareness even further.
Other funding:
We still need to raise another £10,000 to pay for the permanent planting and the memorial plaques. The names of the 161 Emsworth people who died in the 2 World Wars and later conflicts will be mounted on stone panels lining both sides of the path to the memorial Sculpture 'Absence'. We are approaching garden centres and other local businesses as well as organisations such as the Emsworth Residents Association.
Join the 'Friends'
If you are not yet a member or know of anybody else who would like to join the 'Friends', please contact: Maurice Clarke (Secretary), 575 Southleigh Road, Emsworth, PO10 7TE; Tel. 01243 371486; Email: mclarke@japh.co.uk
Forthcoming events:
Armistice Day and Remembrance Sunday
Event in The Square 27 October
Emsworth Square will be the setting for a Memorial Garden Event on Saturday 27 October (10am to 2.30pm) organised by the Friends of Emsworth Memorial Garden. The event will feature a display of plans, including an artist's impression and the progress the Friends have made. Other attractions include vintage military vehicles, the marching band of TS Unity and the presence of Angel Radio providing the swinging sounds of Glen Miller and others from the big band era.
Virginia Wilson-Smith
Last year, the Emsworth Community Board announced that there would always be a brief ceremony at the Memorial "Absence" on 11 November at 11am. This year, it coincides with Remembrance Sunday. We realise that there will be the usual official observances and parade in the afternoon, and many Churches will be holding a two-minute silence at 11am. However, if you just wish to have a private time for reflection, please come and join us in the Memorial Garden to remember those from Emsworth who gave their lives in conflict, aid and succour to advance the cause of peace and justice in the world.
Spring Event
Watch out for details of the 'Emsworth Remembers Day' planned for Spring 2008. This event will be a 'Flashback to the Forties' giving a glimpse of life in those times - a day of memories brought to life. Keep up to date with all these events and developments in the Memorial Garden on the website: www.emsworthmemorialgarden.org.uk