Wokingham

Local horse owner Margaret Reeves is registered blind, but this did not stop her from joining more than 40 energetic local Wokingham riders and cyclists for a ten-mile riding challenge on Sunday November 5.

The sponsored ride at The Look Out on Nine Mile Ride, Bracknell, raised over £1,000 towards the building of a new greenhouse for Growing Places Berkshire, the horticultural therapy charity who will manage the garden area at the new Wokingham Acorn Community Centre. People with learning disabilities who use the new centre will be able to take part in plant sales and other horticultural activities when the greenhouse is built – and the sponsored ride has got fundraising off to a flying start.

The ride was opened by Wokingham District Council chairman Cllr Angus Ross, who met the first riders on the course including Margaret Reeves and her horse Buster.

“Being blind does make some aspects of riding more difficult, but Buster loves an outing in the woods, and I think the new Growing Places green house is an excellent idea,” said Margaret. “I like a challenge and I hope we raise plenty of money today!”

Registered charity Growing Places Berkshire works with people who have a learning disability on horticulture projects. Members have their own gardening plots, as well as helping the charity to grow plants for sale. All money made on sales goes directly back into project. The charity will use the new Wokingham greenhouse to enable the people it supports to learn to grow plants and sell them to support the project’s ongoing work.

“It will be a base for our activities. We will be able to have a mini garden centre and teach users retail skills. It’s very exciting,” says horticulture project leader Margaret Larby, “Today has been a great success and made an excellent start to the fundraising – but there’s a long way to go still! We need to raise £20,000 to build the greenhouse. And it is an essential building if we are to really show the public what our gardeners can achieve and sell top quality produce.”
Service user Danny Pitts loves gardening with Growing Places. He said: “I am looking forward to the green house being built. I lifted the first turf on the site of the new Acorn Centre.”

John Baker, one of the other disabled gardeners at the project, raised over £200 in sponsor money. He cycled round the course with his Mum Val and he was awarded a trophy for his efforts.

Looking at some plans of the new centre, Wokingham council chairman Cllr Angus Ross said: “I am very interested in the plans that Growing Places Berkshire has for the garden at the Acorn Community Centre, and I look forward to seeing the project take shape. I am very pleased that so many riders have taken up this challenge to support the charity.”

Wokingham District Council