The success of The National Gardens Scheme as the leading charity for garden visiting is largely due to the hard work of thousands of volunteers, many of whom not only open their own gardens, but also spend many hours driving every year to support other garden openings, manning cake and plant stalls, reviewing new gardens wanting to join the scheme and generating local publicity.

Three such people are Sue Rathbone (Denbighshire), Michael Stone (Devon) and Alan and Marie Pringle (West Sussex), who were given special recognition through the presentation of NGS Exceptional Service Awards at the Royal Festival Hall on 3 February.

This award is discretionary and is used to recognise exceptional work whether in terms of fundraising or organisation carried out by a garden owner or volunteer.

Sue Rathbone
Sue worked for the NGS as an Assistant County Organiser for three years, and then was County Organiser for the next seventeen years in Denbighshire – as well as opening her garden for 20 years for the NGS.  When Sue began, Denbighshire was making about £2,000 each year, and when she retired in 2009 the county raised about £18,000 – an amazing achievement.  During that time she also generated about £50,000 in sponsorship money from Rathbones, the financial advisors. In addition to her county role, Sue worked on the Council and the Executive Committee of the NGS for four years, and was Chairman of the Welsh Committee. As if this was not enough, a garden was created for the local hospice, St. Kentigern, and Sue still looks after it.

Commenting on the award, Sue said, “The NGS is a wonderful charity to work for as it gives so much pleasure to so many people.  I have made a huge number of friends (gardeners are very nice people!) and raised a lot of money. I also enjoyed it because it was my ancestor, William Rathbone, who started district nursing in Liverpool all those years ago, and I think he would have been pleased.  The Scheme supports many nursing charities, and they need the money very badly. I think that there are a large number of people who work for the NGS who do as much as I have done, and I feel very honoured to be receive this award.”

Michael Stone
Michael and Sarah Stone came to live in Devon in 1981, when they bought the Cider House at Buckland Abbey. The house had been created after the WWII from former monastery buildings, the previous owner having gifted the Abbey church and the Tithe Barn to the National Trust in 1950, but having retained the remainder of the estate. Thus the Stones found themselves in possession of the walled kitchen garden which the Cistercian monks had gardened from the thirteenth century until the Dissolution, together with the potential to develop a garden in a particularly peaceful and historic site.

Over the years this has become a great passion, and the garden was first opened in support of the NGS in 1992. Six years later Michael and Sarah took over the role of County Organiser for Devon from Mervyn Feesey, and Michael began to play a part in the organisation at national level, becoming a Trustee and subsequently Chairman of the Finance Committee. In 2004 he became the Honorary Treasurer, retiring from that post and as a Trustee in 2007. During his time at the helm, Devon doubling of the money raised.

The Cider House garden has featured in several magazine and other articles over the years, including the English Garden and Devon Life, and most recently in Country Homes and Interiors.

Marie and Alan Pringle
Marie and Alan moved to Ambrose Place, a Grade II listed Regency terrace in Worthing, in 1998 after returning from nine years living in Spain.  The back garden was a wreck and not fit to join the ten or so other gardens that had opened for the last 15 years under the NGS.   However, after a complete redesign, on a Mediterranean theme with Alhambra-inspired pond, it joined the other gardens in 2000. 

Marie and Alan took over running the Ambrose Group the following year and immediately applied their joint experience in PR and marketing to publicise the event.  This culminated in  extensive media coverage  including  major features in “The Daily Telegraph” in 2005 and “The Times” and “ GMTV “ in 2008,  the 25th year of Ambrose Place opening, when over £12,000 was taken in just 6 hours, a county record in Sussex.

Marie insists that the success is due to all l4 owners agreeing to open,

“It has been wonderful to see how all these people on the Street, with busy lives and families to juggle have so readily embraced the ethos of the NGS - especially the younger newcomers - and devoted precious leisure time to developing their gardens.”

The Ambrose owners also realise that their unique community spirit is largely due to opening their gardens for the NGS and its worthy causes.

To receive regular news about the NGS and get the stories behind the gardens, please go to www.ngs.org.uk to sign-up for our e-newsletter.

 - ends -

Notes to Editors:
1. Full details of all the gardens open for the NGS in 2010 can be found in the recently published Yellow Book 2010
2. Charities which benefit from the NGS include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie Cancer Care, Help the Help the Hospices, Crossroads Care, The Queen’s Nursing Institute, The Royal Fund for Gardeners’ Children, NGS gardeners’ careership (National Trust) and Perennial - Gardeners’ Royal Benevolent Society.
3. Founded in 1927, The NGS has raised more than £25 million for charity in the last 10 years.
4.Front cover image of The Yellow Book 2010 is available on request.

For more press information or images, please contact:

Valerie Caldwell on 01483 211795 or email vcaldwell@ngs.org.uk
Chris Morley on 01483 213900 or email cmorley@ngs.org.uk

Registered Charity No. 1112664