Helping at Open Gardens

Open Gardens success depends not only on the garden openers but also on those that help. There are five activity areas:

Ticket sales.
Plant sales.
Parking.
Teas.
Garden sitting.

Ticket sales

Helpers are needed to sell tickets and distribute maps in the car park from about 1:30pm to 3:30 and the square from 1:30pm to 4pm. Please contact Bob Foulser who coordinates the ticket sellers. Angela Lowe distributes the tickets and maps and collects the cash at regular intervals throughout the afterrnoon.

Plant sales

Mike Keating has been organising the plant sales for some time now. This involves liaising with the plant providers and organising the setting up and manning of the plant stall and finally paying the plant providers and passing the net sum on to Bob Foulser.

Helpers are needed to set up the plant stall from noon to 1pm, sell plants and then dismantle the plant stall after about 6pm.

The plant stall is very successful and has an excellent reputation with our visitors some of whom come to Open Gardens only to buy plants.

Parking

John Champion now organises the parking in Simsay Field. This involves supervising the arrival of cars/coaches from 11 am to about 4pm on the Open Gardens days. John needs help to ensure our vistors park in an orderly fashion.

Simon Wall puts up and takes down signage.

Teas

The Cerne Valley Youth Club, lead by Jackie Baxter, is responsible for providing the teas and cakes served in the vicarage garden or church. The net proceeds are divided equally between Open Gardens and the Youth Club and this providees them with a regular income of around £500.

Garden sitting

Occasionally garden openers need someone else to share the task of just being in their garden whilst visitors are around. The need is unpredictable but if you are prepared to help in this way then please let Bob Foulser know. Sometimes this help makes the difference between a garden being open or not.