Squire’s Garden Centres Woking has presented the Horsell Residents Association with a plaque marking the success of their Love Where You Live programme.

Under the scheme a project at the High Street site received a special award in March.

The presentation marked the culmination of the four-month project and concluded Squire’s horticultural programme for the current year.

Squire’s had awarded a total of £5,500 in gardening vouchers to nine local community gardening projects as part of its Love Where you Live 2024 programme, supporting the work of projects within communities close to its centres.

The programme assists community gardening projects that educate, grow produce, or provide health and wellbeing benefits through horticulture.

After the unveiling of the programme, more than 80 applications were received in a matter of weeks, highlighting the need for funds by local groups who are championing horticulture for the benefit of their local community.

Nine groups were selected for an award, comprising Squire’s vouchers enabling recipients to choose plants, tools and other gardening supplies.

Over the spring and summer months the projects got under way, award recipients reported back on their progress, highlighting their successes and how the award had been used to make a difference to local projects and people.

Caroline Hughes, project co-ordinator from Horsell Residents Association, said: “We were really delighted to be a recipient of a Squire’s Love Where You Live award early this year.

“It has enabled us to fund project work that will assist our volunteers and, importantly, benefit the wider community.

“We have been able to purchase gardening materials to enable us to make good headway – the award has made a big difference.”

Caroline confirmed that the award was used to purchase plants and tools and complete the four large beds in the High Street gardens, which were quite empty apart from weeds!

As they are in an open, sunny position, it was important to choose drought resistant plants. The most popular were lavender, with some rosemary, dianthus, hebe and fuchsia. These were planted in May and have given colour and pleasure throughout the summer.

Sarah Squire, chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres, added: “We were really pleased to make awards to a range of important local projects. It has been fantastic to see that there are so many keen supporters and groups with a strong desire to enhance their local environment through the wonderful benefits horticulture delivers.

“The feedback we have received certainly confirms the awards have made a difference and assisted volunteers with some rewarding work which will be of wider benefit either to users of the gardens or the wider community.

“We hope these awards have helped start projects that will continue into the future and enable groups to create something pleasing for communities to enjoy or creating shared spaces that brings individuals together.

“Our centres are embedded in the communities we serve and Love Where You Live enables Squire’s to give back to the local area.”

The Squire’s Love Where You Live 2025 programme will open for applications in late 2024.