Oxhill News

www.oxhill.com / www.oxhill.org.uk

South Warwickshire, England.

The Oxhill News

December 2016

This months News

Contents

 

Garden Club

On Thursday 13th October members and friends were introduced via a talk titled Changing People’s Lives to a charitable organisation that few of us had heard of previously. The Women’s Farm and Garden Association (WFGA) was set up in 1899 as a Union to promote the training of ‘ladies’ in farming and gardening and was instrumental in founding, during World War One, what became the Women’s Land Army.  The organisation continues its good work today and provides, amongst other opportunities, places to enable both women and men to gain practical experience in working gardens of good standing such as Highgrove and Chenies Manor.  As well as providing work experience for up to 15 hours per week for a year and the chance to learn from experts in the field, the owners of the gardens pay the trainees the current minimum wage, provide tools and arrange insurance cover.  The trainee is responsible for their own transport and the submission of a monthly report.  There is a two week probation period for both parties’ satisfaction before agreements are signed and a £600 registration fee becomes due from the trainee to the charity.

Our speaker, Vivienne Hayday, in her capacity of Regional Manager is particularly involved in vetting the suitability of owners / working gardens putting themselves forward as potential mentors / places of work for women and men returning to work or changing career; she arranges placements and monitors the learning experience of the trainees.  By the end of a year the intention is that those involved in this Work and Retrain as a Gardener Scheme (WRAGS) will be able to actively seek a career in horticulture.  Vivienne cited several instances of well paid professionals reassessing their priorities relatively late in life and opting to embrace gardening or a related activity as a fulfilling occupation.

Membership of WFGA costs some £25 per annum with benefits including workshops, practical gardening work days, garden visits and tours.  If you are a keen gardener, want to develop your horticultural skills and meet like-minded people, join today at www.wfga.org.uk 

The next Garden Club event is our Christmas Party on 8th December starting at 7.00pm in the Old Chapel; those wishing to attend should book asap via reggethin@aol.com / 680453.  The next ‘second Thursday of the month’ meeting is on 12th January (7.15 for 7.30pm) when Jacqui Vallance of Warwickshire Chicken Coop is giving a talk titled All About Chickens.

Douglas Nethercleft

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Last modified: December 08, 2016