Lydiard Park’s Walled Garden to host national charity event on Sunday

A charity funding drive is to be held to mark the 10^th anniversary of the opening of the Walled Garden at Lydiard Park. This Sunday (June 10), those visiting Lydiard’s horticultural wonderland will be asked to pay a small fee which will go straight to a host of worthy causes. The charity opening offers visitors the chance to enjoy the floral displays in the elegant 18th Century garden. There will also be the chance to take part in a special photography competition. Councillor Keith Williams, Swindon Borough Council's Cainet Member responsible for Lydiard House and Park, said: “I would encourage as many people as possible to visit the beautiful Walled Garden this Sunday. “All proceeds will be going to a number of highly deserving charities who do extremely valuable work and it’s a pleasure to be able to support them in this way. “Lydiard is one of the jewels in Swindon’s crown and this event is a wonderful way to mark the 10^th anniversary of the opening of the garden.” Lydiard’s Walled Garden was opened to the public in 2007 as part of the National Garden Scheme (NGS) and is one of around 3,600 gardens open in England and Wales taking part in the National Gardens Scheme Open for Charities event. The entry fee is £3 per adult and £2 per child and the charities set to benefit include Macmillan Cancer Support, Marie Curie, Hospice UK, Carers Trust, Queen’s Nursing Institute, Parkinson’s UK, Perennial, National Autistic Society and MS Society. Visitors can enjoy seasonal displays of a wide range of flowers elegantly displayed alongside unique garden features. The NGS is a registered charity and is the most significant charitable funder of nursing charities in the UK, having donated £55million over the last 90 years. The event runs on Sunday from 10am until 4pm. For full details of how to enter the photography competition, visit:https://www.ngs.org.uk/photo/.