Lancashire volunteer gardeners receive national award

Halton Gardening Group (HGG) received the King’s Award for Voluntary Service this month in recognition of their volunteer efforts.

The award is the equivalent of an MBE and is the highest honour that any voluntary group can be awarded with.

Chair of the group, Monica Williams, said: “We are delighted that our group’s work has been recognised in this way.

"However, we could not do what we do without the support of the community in Halton with Aughton."

The group taking part in one of their volunteer efforts (Image: Monica Williams)

The group is comprised of volunteer community gardeners who have been given this award for 'restoring village heritage and public garden areas, providing community development and integration'.

Over the past few years, they have renovated the Memorial Jubilee Garden which was donated to the village by the Reverend Hastings in memory of his parents, and brother who was killed in the First World War.

"We are grateful for the support for our fundraising plant sales and garden safaris over the years, and for the many personal donations made to help us fund the projects we have undertaken in the village," Ms Williams added.

Halton Gardening Group is one of 262 local charities, social enterprises and voluntary groups to receive the prestigious award this year.

Their work, along with others from across the UK, showcases all the ways volunteers are contributing to their local communities and working to make life better for those around them.

Part of the work done by Halton Gardening Group involves maintaining planters throughout the village, a wildflower banking and a terraced area in the grounds of the community centre.

Representatives of Halton Gardening group will receive the award crystal and certificate from Mrs Amanda Parker JP, Lord Lieutenant for Lancashire, later this year.