Amateur gardeners in England and Wales can now apply for funds to support their community horticultural projects with the help of The National Gardens Scheme (NGS) and the RHS through the Elspeth Thompson Bursary.
Now in its second year, the Elspeth Thompson Bursary has already funded more than a dozen community projects across the country, and your project could be the next. There is no fixed limit to the size of bursary, and more than one bursary may be awarded in a particular year. For 2013 a record total in excess of £14,000 was awarded across six projects.
The fund was created in memory of inspirational garden writer and blogger Elspeth Thompson, who died in 2010. The Elspeth Thompson Bursaries aim to support community projects and include diverse sections of society through horticulture and a community effort.
Jim Gardiner, Director of Horticulture at the RHS, said: “We know that gardening has the power to bring communities together – the huge success of RHS Britain in Bloom and its sister project RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood proves that.”
“That’s why I urge all amateur gardeners to apply for an Elspeth Thompson Bursary to help inspire more people to develop a passion for horticulture and share their love of gardening, and the far-reaching benefits it provides to the entire community.”
