Here you will find everything you need to know relating to the current and future activities of Friends of Valley Gardens Harrogate as well as important current information about Valley Gardens. FOVG are a registered charity number 1148369 and we are supported by the National Lottery through the Heritage Lottery Fund.
News
Latest 2019 Newsletter Now Available: Our second newsletter of 2019 is now available. Please click here to download your copy. You can download the first edition by clicking here.
Thanks to Richard Dobson: The Friends would like to report the sad death of Richard Dobson. Richard was a long-term member of the volunteer gardening team and will be greatly missed. He is in the middle in the photo below. We would like to pass on our thanks to his family for donating the money raised at his funeral to FOVG.
Official Opening of King Edward VII Memorial Gate: The official opening of the King Edward VII Memorial Gate by the Chairman of the North Yorkshire County Council, Cllr Robert Windass, and the Mayor of Harrogate, Cllr Bernard Bateman MBE, took place on 26 Nov 2018. It was followed by the dedication of the adjacent Rose Garden by Rev Fr Donald Cumming (AFC Chaplain). Click here for more status and photos. You can download a copy of the Harrogate Advertiser article of 29th Nov by clicking here.
Chairman of FOVG Retires after 8 Years: Our chairman for the past 8 years, Jane Blayney, retired on the 1st Dec 2018. During her time as Chairman, Friends of Valley Gardens has restored the Old Magnesia Well Pump Room, restored the Japanese Garden, and created the King Edward VII Memorial Gate and Rose Beds. These projects were accomplished with Jane’s energy, help in fundraising, and dedication to improving Valley Gardens. In addition she served as the leader and spokesperson for our group to the Harrogate Borough Council and the Community. She was the driving force behind the 1940s Open Day in Valley Gardens, an event which is now under the management of Harrogate International Festivals. We thank her for all she has done over the past 8 years.
Friends of Valley Gardens Win Platinum Award in Yorkshire in Bloom 2018: Friends of Valley Gardens won a Platinum Award (the highest award category) at the 2018 Yorkshire in Bloom Awards. This was in Category C6 Parks, Public Gardens & Cemeteries and there was plenty of competition! That makes three years in a row winning a Platinum Award! We took along some display material of our three projects – Peat Garden & Old Magnesia Well Pump Room (OMWPR), King Edward VII Memorial Gates and the Japanese Garden.
Many thanks to all of you who have worked so hard together with the Council gardeners, doing the projects and manning the OMWPR to collectively achieve the Valley Gardens looking really beautiful throughout the year.
FOVG Chairman Wins David Wilson Holmes Trophy: FOVG’s former Chairman, Jane Blayney, was awarded the David Wilson Holmes Trophy at the Harrogate in Bloom Awards Ceremony for her 8 years of service as Chairman.
Old Magnesia Well Pump Room Open Monthly: The fully restored Old Magnesia Well Pump Room will be open from 10.00am to 3.30pm on the days shown under “Forthcoming Events” subject to the availability of volunteers. Please drop by for a visit. Openings can be arranged for groups or for private showings by contacting us.
Tours of Valley Gardens and Presentations are Now Available: Friends of Valley Gardens are now offering tours of Valley Gardens and the Old Magnesia Well Pump Room as well as the sites of our recent projects, the Japanese Gardens and the King Edward VII Memorial Gates. We also provide presentations to community groups about Valley Gardens.
If you are interested in scheduling a tour, please contact us. Tours can accommodate all types of groups. We frequently host gardening clubs and schools and both the Brownies and the History Society have visited as well as the groups shown in the photos below. All proceeds are applied towards the restoration, maintenance, and refurbishment of Valley Gardens.
International Visitors to the Old Magnesia Well Pump Room: Our Old Magnesia Well Pump Room is developing a world-wide following. Since the building was opened periodically during the refurbishment process starting in 2011, we have welcomed visitors from all over the UK as well as from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Belgium, Austria, Ukraine, Czech Republic, and the states of California, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, and Wisconsin in the USA.
FOVG Gardening Group: If you are interested in helping with the maintenance of the gardens within Valley Gardens, you will be pleased to know that FOVG has a volunteer gardening group. Please contact Liz Chidlow at volunteergardners@friendsofvalleygardens.co.uk to be kept informed of future activities.