Buxton community garden gets £21,000 for post-Covid growth plans from Government Culture Recovery Fund

A Buxton community gardening project has been awarded £21,000 from a Government fund intended to help cultural organisations weather the Covid-19 pandemic.
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The Serpentine Garden, in the Serpentine Walks, is one of 445 heritage organisations across the country set to receive a vital financial boost from the £1.57billion Culture Recovery Fund.

The money will fund improvements to the garden’s website and social media presence, the development of new income streams, legal fees related to the 25-year lease being negotiated with High Peak Borough Council, and rubbish removal from the site. A temporary part-time garden manager will be employed to help oversee the plans.

Garden trustee Madeline Hall said: “As everywhere, we have needed to adjust to the pandemic just to survive. This grant will let us thrive, supporting further development, sustaining what we do in growing plants and growing people.

The money will help the garden implement its growth plans.The money will help the garden implement its growth plans.
The money will help the garden implement its growth plans.

"Recognition of the value of our provision for community and cultural heritage is a huge boost.”

The garden is one of 445 designated heritage organisations which will share £103million from the fund.

In the application, Serpentine volunteers did not claim to be under threat of closure but said that without support the garden could fail to develop as needed to meet new challenges.

Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden said: “This massive support package will protect our shared heritage for future generations, save jobs and help us prepare for a cultural bounceback post Covid.”