While our community garden PIER has been temporarily closed to the public for a few months now, our volunteers are back on site to ensure our plants and flowers are blooming well and ready for the summer weather.
So it was especially wonderful when they returned and were met with a generous donation of new plants to grow from the supermarket Morrisons!
Rina, our new Engagement and Development Worker, had been shopping in the Rochdale branch a couple of weeks ago when she decided to ask the store's Duty Manager, Michael Ford, if they would be able to donate any plants to PIER.
Michael was happy to help and got in touch with their Community Champion, Emma Pedgrift.
It wasn't long until Rina received a call from Emma and was invited into the store to choose some plants.
Speaking about her experience, Rina said: "Like a kid in a sweet shop I was overwhelmed with the selection but decided on some edibles such as autumn raspberry, white currants and honeyberry fruit bushes.
I also picked jasmine for its beautiful scent and a few shrubs to fill some gaps in the flower garden, as well as Virginia creeper and hardy pinks for colour.
When the volunteers saw them, they were bowled over in astonishment and immediately started to discuss what should go where.
On behalf of PIER and the volunteers, I’d like to say a big thank you to Michael, Emma and the team at Morrisons for supporting us and making our return back to PIER memorable."
Please note: Our award winning community garden remains closed for the time being, but if you do happen to pass, be sure to give our volunteers a wave.