Grants & Bursaries
The Trust offers grants for conservation and similar projects and to support horticultural activities in schools as well as bursaries to help with research and academic and practical training. During the last 12 months we have made grants of £1000 each to the Otterhead Estate Trust and to Hestercombe Gardens. The Otterhead Lakes Local Nature Reserve occupies part of the former Otterhead Estate and the Estate Trust is working in partnership with Taunton Deane Borough Council to manage the site. The main feature of the Reserve is the valley of the River Otter in which there was a flight of five lakes, two of which survive. The grant will be used towards the construction of a flight of steps and the restoration of walls in the old coach house yard.
Many members will have visited Hestercombe Gardens and will have been impressed by the restoration of the 18th century gardens behind the house with its ever increasing number of restored or recreated garden buildings: The Witch’s Houses, Chinese Pavilion, Mausoleum and so on. The Trust’s grant will help towards the current project of the restoration of the old Mill as an education centre.
A bursary of £600 was given to a Somerset resident who had been awarded a gardening scholarship by the National Trust and who wished to combine work at Knightshayes Court with part-time study for a Level 2 Certificate in horticulture at Bicton College. A further bursary of £500 was given to another Somerset resident towards the cost of working in Nicaragua for a year with Project Bona Fide . The Trust has also made a grant of £2000 towards the purchase of books for the use of students joining the new Foundation degree in Garden History and Heritage Horticulture that is being offered by Hestercombe and Yeovil College.
The work of the Education Group is ever increasing with seven schools receiving grants during the year to help with a wide range of projects, from the construction of rabbit-proof fencing and raised beds to the creation of a sensory garden and taking a group of children to visit the Eden Project. A list of the schools we have assisted can be found on the Education Group page.
The conservation and the restoration of historic parks and gardens, and the education of the public with matters connected with Garden Landscapes are key objectives of the Trust, and the grants and bursaries we offer are designed to help us implement those objectives. It is surprising, particularly in the present financial climate, that with the exception of the educational grants, we receive so few requests for help. Please spread the word that we can do so. Further details from Anthony Pugh-Thomas at pugh.thomas@btinternet.com