News and Events

Supporting the fight against dementia

The charity team at Otter Garden Centres in Ottery St Mary has revealed the total raised for 2018 charity of the year, Alzheimer’s Society. This came to just over £8,000 and beats last year’s charity total. The money will help fund services across Devon as well as important research into dementia.

How we did it

Staff quizzes and the annual Memory Tree helped fundraising efforts. The largest amounts came from donations given on the land train taking visitors to Santa’s Grotto and a group of animated acapella penguins, which were a real hit in the Plants Centre; together these raised £3,000.

Claire Frost, Community Fundraiser for Alzheimer’s Society in Devon, Cornwall and Isles of Scilly said: “We are extremely grateful to the staff and customers at Otter Garden Centres for all of the time and energy they put into their fundraising for Alzheimer’s Society.

“The money they’ve raised will help to transform the lives of everyone affected by dementia, through support and creating lasting change for the 84,000 people estimated to be living with dementia in the South West. We want everyone affected by dementia to know that whoever you are, whatever you are going through, you can turn to Alzheimer’s Society for support, help and advice.”

Alzheimer’s Society services in Devon

Alzheimer’s Society provides a number of services across Devon. The charity’s dementia support workers offer information and practical guidance to help people understand dementia, cope with day-to-day challenges and prepare for the future through its Devon and Torbay Dementia Advisor service. Other services include a telephone helpline and online forum ‘Talking Point’, a helpful online community where anyone who is affected by dementia can receive valuable support.

Local ‘Singing for the Brain’ groups, based around the principles of music therapy, provide people affected by dementia an opportunity to meet new people in a friendly, fun and social environment. The charity also operates a number of memory cafes across Devon. These informal groups allow people in a similar situation to get together for a chat over a cup of tea, or coffee, and the chance to take part in a variety of activities.

As well as supporting services, money raised for Alzheimer’s Society also helps to fund research into the cause, care, cure and prevention of all types of dementia.

Alzheimer’s Society

• Alzheimer’s Society is the UK’s leading dementia charity. We provide information and support, fund research, campaign to improve care and create lasting change for people affected by dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.
• Dementia devastates lives. Alzheimer’s Society research shows that 850,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia. By 2021, 1 million people will be living with the condition. This will soar to two million by 2051.
• Dementia deaths are rising year on year and 225,000 will develop dementia this year – that’s one every three minutes.
• Dementia costs the UK economy over £26 billion per year. This is the equivalent of more than £30,000 per person with dementia.
• Alzheimer’s Society funds research into the cause, care, cure and prevention of all types of dementia and has committed to spend at least £150 million on research over the next decade. This includes a £50 million investment in the UK’s first dedicated Dementia Research Institute.
• Alzheimer’s Society provides a National Dementia Helpline, the number is 0300 222 11 22 or visit the website.
  

Each year, we put up Memory Trees to support the fundraising we carry out for our chosen charities.

The idea behind a memory tree is to remember loved ones at Christmas time. People like to use the tree to remember:

• Parents
• Relatives
• Friends
• Pets

Ottery St Mary Memory Tree

In our Ottery St Mary Garden Centre, customers can buy a ribbon in red (£1) or gold (£5) and a card on which to write a message for their loved one. These are then attached to the tree.

The Memory Tree in Ottery is fundraising for Alzheimer’s Society, the UK’s leading dementia support and research charity, which provides support for anyone affected by any form of dementia in England, Wales and Northern Ireland.

You can find the tree in the Plants Centre, opposite the main shop.

Plymouth Memory Tree

In our Plymouth Garden Centre, customers can make a donation into a collecting tin and add a note to the tree.

The Memory Tree in Plymouth is fundraising for local charity, Dementia Friendly Parishes Around the Yealm. This charity is made up of five rural parishes around the River  Yealm in South Devon which have come together to improve and change the lives of people with dementia and their carers.

The tree is situated by the tills at the exit.

Thank You

Our Memory Trees are always popular, helping us to raise significant amounts for our charities.

Throughout the year, customers and staff are always generous in support of our fundraising. Our warmest thanks for your support.

Sponsorship for extra shirts!

Our Ottery St Mary garden centre has provided sponsorship for additional club shirts for Ottery St Mary Table Tennis Club after the club experienced unexpected growth.

We originally helped the club with new shirts for the existing three teams in 2017 – but after more players signed up, members realised more shirts were needed.

Presenting the extra shirts to the club, Otter Garden Centres Manager John Giblin said how much of a pleasure it was to be able to provide ongoing support to the club in this way. “We’re delighted that so many new players have joined over the past year.”

The club, which has been in existence in the town for around 25 years, now boasts five teams and 20 league players including several younger players. Currently the ‘A’ team is in third place in the Exeter & District League First Division whilst the ‘B’ team is top of the Second Division.

Members meet to practice on Tuesdays at Colin Tooze sports centre with league matches taking place at The Institute. New members are always welcome.

Find out more by clicking here.

Preserves go Silver!

Blackcurrant jam and marmalade made at Otter Garden Centres scooped silver in the Producers category at the recent Food Drink Devon Awards.

The preserves are made in the kitchens at the garden centre in Ottery St Mary by Liz Lee and her team using traditional methods with a high fruit ratio. Liz has built up quite a following with regular customers, who sometimes call ahead to make sure their favourite flavours are in stock.

Restaurant Manager, Simon Raynor said: “Our homemade range has proved very popular; some of the jams are served with cream teas in the restaurant, and we also have a display of jars for purchase.

“As a garden centre known for growing quality plants, we’re also proud to be producers of quality food.”

This year, for the first time, Victoria plum jam has been added to the selection. The fruit was collected locally by staff after the warm summer led to a glut of plums.

As well as preserves, the kitchen team also produce cranberry sauce and Christmas puddings in three sizes. Some customers place orders each year for Liz’s puds, available with or without peel.

The two silver awards are the latest in a line of awards for our own produce, which includes last year’s gold award winners, strawberry and raspberry jam.

Groundwork South visit to Otter Garden Centres

Our Torbay branch was recently pleased to welcome Groundwork South to the growing nurseries for a talk and demonstration by our Head Nurseryman, Nick Raisey.

National charity Groundwork aims to improve the quality of life in communities that had been neglected and to promote their sustainable development. Groundwork South has six teams, including one team for Devon and Cornwall.

Katherine Ross approached our Branch Manager Emma Devonald to discuss how we might get involved with the charity, which is delivering a certificate in practical horticulture to adult learners. The course includes an overview of the horticultural sector and includes practical training.

Emma suggested a day with Nick in the growing nurseries, for an overview of the facilities and some of the horticultural work undertaken in our Torbay branch.

The day

Nick and his team started the day with a tour of the greenhouses and the polytunnels to see the hardy plants.

After lunch, the visitors were divided into groups where they learnt about planting up cuttings, spacing pots with a special ruler and how to prune winter flowering jasmine.

Katherine said that the day was really special to the students, as it was a real eye-opener to see behind the scenes at a garden centre with its own growing nurseries. “I want to send the biggest thank you to Nick, his team and you for setting up for a day in the nursery. I have to say the students have found it to be one of the highlights from the course. They said they were telling people about all the weekend after and are still buzzing.”

We would also like to thank Nick and his team for providing a great experience for the visitors from Groundwork South.

The students have also visited a variety of interesting horticultural locations, including Greenway, Torquay Golf Course, Shekina Grow and Torre Abbey.