Belper Open Gardens Raises Thousands For Charity

The Belper Open Gardens event of 1st and 2nd July was a great success once again.

Around 650 visitors came from far and wide to Belper to enjoy the beauty of its gardens and the welcoming friendliness of its inhabitants. The streets were teeming with people clutching their maps and Belper was buzzing! It was a fantastic way to showcase Belper and to encourage people to visit it. Many return every year  and one couple, who have been coming form Leicester for the past 4 years, can’t be complimentary enough about our town.

It was not just the beauty of the gardens that was on display, there were also many other things to enjoy: entertainment by local musicians; scrumptious home baking; a quilt exhibition; plant sales and a bric-a-brac table. Many visitors spent more than an hour in some gardens, relaxing, chatting and generally having a great time.

Apart from this event being a great way to showcase Belper and its welcoming spirit, it was also a fabulous opportunity to raise money for many charities. The entrance fees were distributed to local charities which serve Belper and this year they were Accessible Belper, Girl Guides, Strutt Centre, Early Years Fun, Food Bank and Derbyshire’s Children Holiday Centre.

The individual events organised by the garden owners raised a staggering £2261.75 for their own chosen charities, including Derby Breast Cancer £200; £72 Guide Dogs; £400 Children with Cancer; McMillan £166.75; £1113 Unitarian Chapel; £10 Strutt Centre and £300 Sands (still birth).

One of the gardens (11 Windmill Rise) is opening again this coming weekend (15th and 16th July) for the National Gardens Charity which raised more than £3million every year for worthwhile charities. It’s open between 11:30 and 16:30 on Saturday and Sunday. There will be live music by Belper’s Ed Hulse and lovely home baking.