The BBC are returning imminently to film Maghull for an update and to launch this year’s National competition for the BBC One Show and we need your urgent help to undertake some mass weeding!

The Friends of Maghull & District (FOMD) on behalf of the community, and to our immense surprise actually won the BBC One Show/RHS 2025 Growing Together Community Garden Award, for the Rowlands Dell NHS Health and Wellness Green Transformation Project, but now they would like to return for a filming update! The Dell has provided some remarkable displays of colour, but it is currently looking overwhelmed by weeds, which is not a bad thing for our aspired natural woodland, but we do need to tidy some parts up to prevent them swamping young newly planted woodland shrubs. Our volunteer base has been very depleted recently, so we need to turbo boost the numbers ASAP to polish this green jewel to show Maghull at its best. If you can spare just one or even two hours this Saturday, we would be over the moon.

Weekly Nature Update. The beautiful nature displays continue at the UK Award Winning Rowlands Dell where the stunning countless daffodils, white bluebells (three-cornered leak), bluebells have now faded and are being replaced partly by cow parsley, butterfly loving nettles, and punctuated by Camassia, begonias, alliums, calendula, rhododendrons,  and hydrangeas. Whilst over the last four weeks the deep green leaf canopy in the huge woodland trees is developing with a shimmering reflection at their base with over 600 luscious newly planted thriving ferns.

Please can you help by volunteering for one/two hours on Saturday (30.5.26) or support with cash or woodland plant donations….

Venue & Tasks.

We would love your help for a spare one hour from 09.30 hours on Saturday (30.5.26), at Rowlands Dell (opposite the newly refurbished Hare & Hounds PH, L31 2HF), to make a fantastic difference to our environment.

Several tasks to choose from below with the main task focusing on some basic but crucial weeding around the newly planted border path rhododendrons, hedging, upper woodland and dry waterfall rockery plants to help maximise their growth to provide self-sufficient ground covering woodland lushness for years to come.

• Weeding upper woodland area (main task)
• Brushing path.
• Consolidating wildlife friendly twig piles.
• Installing donated bird box (courtesy of Christine (M))
• Empty bins.
• Deadheading raised beds in sunken garden.
• Weeding newly planted hedge, bog garden, dry waterfall rockery.
• Watering new plants.

Equipment needed: essentials sturdy boots, garden gloves, long sleeves and trousers, garden/hand fork, kneeling pad, spade.

Huge thanks for a stunning community response on Saturday (23.5.26) from:

• Ian Taylor (2348 Maghull Squadron Leader) & his eight amazing cadets, who took some valuable time out from their exam studies to help our community by successfully and remarkably undertaking the most challenging weeding of the new woodland and hedging areas. Undertaken with incredible organised hard work, a warm smile, politeness and good humour. They have been our fourth emergency service in different projects over the years and really represent the inspiring best of our community.
• Nikki Fenner (award-winning horticulturalist) and her husband Ian along with her friends and neighbours Tina, Andy, Greg and Julie. Who undertook some expert weeding of the hedges and borders.
• FOMD volunteers – Colin, Joan, Diane, Frank, Joan, Joanne, Joe, Dave, John (for his relentless watering of the new plants) and young Tom (whose interest will definitely develop into professional gardening), who collectively weeded hedges and border planting to maximise the growth and reveal their beauty.

A massive thank you for such a sunny heartening community response which in two hours has achieved a remarkable and stunning third of the job, culminating in 10 large agricultural bags that I transported to the tip in five car trips.

On Wednesday, Thursday, Friday 20/22.5.26) Orchard and dry waterfall rockery mowed and strimmed and fern area and path border weeded by Jill, Joan, Christine, Colin and Frank.

On Sunday (24.5.26) Frank and Colin emptied the bins and weeded the newly planted ferns and paths borders to reveal more newly planted blooming rhododendrons, resulted in two more agricultural bags of weeds taken to the tip. Thanks to Colin for donating and planting some beautiful cyclamens near the viewing area.

On Monday (25.5.26) Colin and Frank weed sprayed the block paved areas of the picnic area and sunken garden, and the perimeter wall, and weeded the newly planted ferns and paths border to reveal more newly planted blooming rhododendrons, resulted in two more agricultural bags of weeds taken to the tip.

Bluebell donation by Nikki (S) and husband.

Pictured: Everyone mentioned above apart from Tina, Andi and Frank.

If You Would like to Help in the Future?

Volunteer sessions (everyone is welcome without any commitment) can be found on our Events calendar page at https://www.fomd.co.uk/events/ where you will find all the details.

Crowdfunding Campaign. We are hoping to raise further funds in 2026 for steps handrails, eco-educational signage and mass planting for two of the four planned nature zones. Please donate online at www.fomd.co.uk or with cash at the Hare & Hounds PH, Morrisons, Essar Petrol Station.

Rowlands Dell Introduction (3min Video): https://youtu.be/lxrTdudVza8?si=AM_znsaI35Cose-M

Background and Exciting Developments at Rowlands Dell.

This beautiful haven for wildlife has unbelievably been treated as an open tip for decades, where every inch has revealed a variety of pollutants harmful to wildlife. In our three-stage plan, stage I has resulted in Maghull’s biggest ever 46-week cleanup in which FOMD have removed 300 bin bags of litter and 25 tons of debris (2024).

In Stage II (November 2024), with the help of our NHS landowner partners we successfully obtained a health and wellness grant (Maghull’s largest green investment) to fund an amazing legacy array of hard landscaping installations. These features provided accessibility for the whole community and included: accessible path, viewing/picnic area, sunken garden, bins, 12,000 bulbs and planting at small junction points, bug and bird boxes, and a dry waterfall feature). A Morrisons grant has enabled us to create the ongoing bog garden and wishing well.

We now need your help throughout 2026 for funding and planting to complete a beautiful restorative legacy haven.

Grateful Thanks,

Friends of Maghull & District (FOMD)

Together making Maghull a better place to live.

• Winner of the UK 2025 BBC One Show/RHS Growing Together Community Garden Award.
• Winner of the 2022 BBC Make a Difference Environmental Award.

More information at https://www.fomd.co.uk/

Contact: admin@fomd.co.uk

#fomdcic #Maghull #Environment