We are absolutely delighted to share that Maghull won the prestigious UK 2025 BBC The One Show/RHS ‘Growing Together’ Award for Community Gardening which was announced on the One Show tonight (2.10.25) for the Friends of Maghull & District’s (FOMD) Rowlands Dell Health and Wellness Project.

“The Rowlands Dell NHS Health and Wellness ongoing unprecedented green transformation project is a brimming melting pot of kindness which has galvanised the community, imbuing them with a sense of purpose, pride and positivity while preserving and enhancing this precious, cherished green space. It will provide an inspiring, restorative legacy haven for the community and wildlife. We are immensely grateful to so many kind people and organisations in our community and see this wonderful accolade by the BBC The One Show and RHS as a fitting tribute to our amazing community.”  Dr Frank Sharp, Friends of Maghull and District CIC (www.fomd.co.uk)

“Community gardening transforms lives and landscapes. Each of the amazing entries shows how it connects people, boosts well-being, and revitalises neglected spaces. This special award, in partnership with the BBC The One Show, celebrates the incredible impact of communities coming together to grow”. Julie Jowett, RHS Senior Community Outreach Adviser.

Rowlands Dell was a formally neglected, inaccessible and overgrown historic quarry. Thanks to the hard work of the FOMD volunteers, the support of local organisations, the NHS Mersey Care Horticultural Team, Richards Tree Services and an invaluable partnership with NHS Property Services landowners, it has been transformed into a restorative haven for wildlife and for the health and well-being of the community.

From Rubble To Wildlife Haven

FOMD developed a three-stage plan:

(1) Safety – we spent 2024 removing harmful pollutants in the form of 300 bin bags of litter and 25 tons of debris.

(2) Accessibility – our NHS Property Services landowner partners secured considerable social value grant funding to establish a myriad of crucial accessibility features. Winvic (national construction company) and their subcontractors repaired the old path at an estimated cost of £10,000.

(3) Returning Nature – we are currently crowdfunding for two extension pathways and a huge array of woodland planting. Four nature zones are being developed to encourage exploration and diversity connected by a health and wellness circular pathway.

Throughout 2024, after years of consultation and in partnership with NHS Property Services, volunteers cleared this valley-like site, painstakingly raking the area to remove tonnes of litter and rubble that had been held in place by decades of tenacious ivy.

The old, crumbling pathway was cleaned, made safe and fit for purpose, with a handrail and recycled log border installed. The new, fully accessible circular health and wellness woodland pathway now meanders through this tranquil space.

A bug-friendly neurodiversity awareness log archway creates an eye-catching, welcoming entrance to the site. Where towering brambles once stood, carpets of daffodils and bluebells now brightly bloom and a dry waterfall rockery – with blue resin giving the appearance of water – acts as a focal point. Benches provide welcome opportunities to pause, reflect and enjoy nature.

Future plans include an orchard, further diverse woodland planting and a microclimate fernery with a bug hotel and composting area. Work is also underway to create water features in the shape of a bog garden and wishing well. The sound of water will provide a calming backdrop in the new picnic area, helping mask the distant noise of town-centre traffic.

A wildlife-friendly hedge, consisting of 3,000 trees, was planted at the beginning of 2025 around the perimeter of the site. This will help with carbon sequestration, reduce pollution from cars and noise and provide habitats and food for wildlife. Fifty of the trees, comprising eight different species, were also planted in the new woodland area, alongside nine wildlife-friendly twig heaps and a raised-bed growing area.

A substantial social value grant was secured by the NHS Property Services that enabled the creation of a new accessible pathway, a sunken garden in front of the neighbouring Medical Centre, as well as a picnic and viewing area.

A Restorative Space

This cherished, biodiverse gem near a busy shopping centre is fast becoming a restorative, eco educational haven for the whole community. Staff and patients from the Medical Centre already use Rowlands Dell for meetings, breaks and mindful reflection. Alongside the regular volunteers who continue to develop and maintain the site, Scouts, ATC and school groups are just some of the local organisations engaging with the space through volunteering sessions.

Rowlands Dell also supports clients referred by GPs through green social prescribing, offering therapeutic gardening activities that enhance physical, emotional, cognitive and social wellbeing.

Celebrating Community Gardening

The Growing Together Award shines a light on community gardening groups that are transforming green or unloved spaces into thriving community gardens that benefit the whole community and encourage a diverse range of people to try gardening for the first time. Every project that took part in the 2025 competition will be recognised with a certificate of achievement for their work, while this year’s winner, Rowlands Dell, will also receive £1,000 in National Garden gift vouchers, along with a plaque and certificate. Special commendations will go to the two runners up, E2’s Urban Garden The Urban Garden and The Plot – Princetown Community Garden (4) Facebook, who will each receive £100 in gift vouchers. The BBC’s The One Show also visited and filmed some of the most outstanding entries.

Rollcall of Thanks.

 

We have been overwhelmed by countless precious acts of kindness whether they have been large or small you have our heartfelt thanks.

 

  • The BBC The One Show and the RHS team for kindly sharing and highlighting our vision and for providing outstanding support and inspiration to so many environmental community groups across the country, Julie, Janice, Chloe, Matthew, Molly, Rhianna and of course Tom Allen.
  • The NHS Property Services Landowner Team for their unprecedented support in sharing and creating a hugely beneficial health and wellness asset for the whole community, not forgetting a volunteer tree planting day. With particular thanks to Scott, Philip, Simon, Maria, Nicola and Michael.
  • All the Friends of Maghull & District (FOMD) volunteers for their countless time, energy, creativity, motivation, dedication, unlimited kindness and good humour.
  • Mersey Care NHS Horticultural Team particularly Paul for their invaluable advice, flailing and strimming ivy, sowing grass seeds, moving tons of soil and invaluable support on so many other community projects.
  • Paul and Harry Richards Tree Surgeons for providing countless tons of woodchip, logs and removing 10 tons of debris, and invaluable support on so many other community projects.
  • PR England landscapers NHS subcontractor, particularly Richard for expertly installing a myriad of accessibility features.
  • Mersey Forest, particularly Ben for expert advice and tree donations.
  • The Woodland Trust for tree donations.
  • The Conservation Volunteers (TCV) particularly Neil and Alex for tree donations, expert advice, and the ongoing creation of a bog garden and wishing well.
  • Morrisons, particularly Bernice for providing an £8000 grant to facilitate the bog garden and wishing well.
  • The Tree Council, particularly Geraldine for providing a £2000 grant for a 250 Yew tree hedge.
  • Sefton Council, particularly Mike, Chloe, June £1000 donation and support, and Jennifer, Paul for the £3100 community transition grant.
  • Saxon Tree Specialists, particularly Sarah, Tom, Luke for providing logs woodchip, transportation of countless plant donations and hours of clearance work
  • WINVIC construction and their subcontractors Huyton Asphalt and L&R Road Linings, particularly Gareth, Josh, Emma for expertly repairing the old access path at an estimated social value cost of £10,000.
  • Site Neighbour – Anne for crucially providing our water supply to keep the plants and trees alive, and her super friendly support.
  • The Co-op for funding the archway entrance.
  • Merseyside Police for part funding the noticeboard and plants.
  • 12th Maghull Scout Group, particularly Ian, Gareth, Emma for IT support, ground clearance and tree planting.
  • 2348 (Maghull) ATC Sqn, particularly Ian for ground clearance and tree planting.
  • Revenue and Customs, particularly Graeme for en masse social value ground clearance and tree planting.
  • Don Billington (multi-horticultural award winner and new RHS judge) for invaluable advice and reassurance.
  • BBC Radio Merseyside, particularly Kevin, Claire, Jess, Helen (J), Tony and Paul (B) for raising awareness and their daily inspiration about other community volunteer work.
  • The late Dr John Rowlands and his widow Catherine for a lifetime of community kindness for Maghull and in the hope that Rowlands Dell will continue a legacy of health, wellness and kindness.

 

We know there are countless other people that should be on this list who we are also enormously grateful to whether it be for plant or cash donations, volunteer time, advice or perhaps the most precious of all – a kind motivational thank you.

 

DONATIONS NEEDED PLEASE!

In the meantime, we really need your support to boost our crowdfunding donations to enable the completion of this fantastic community project at Rowlands Dell.

We need to raise funds to pay for lower and upper connecting paths (creating a circular health and wellness walk) and a huge array of much-needed woodland plants.

  • Crowdfunding Campaign. So far, with your help, we have raised enough money for one path extension (£7,600) but we are hoping to raise another £7000 for another crucial connecting path and much-needed large-scale woodland shrubs.
  • Please donate online at www.fomd.co.uk or with cash at the Hare & Hounds PH, Morrisons, Esso Petrol Station.
  • Rowlands Dell Introduction (3min Video): https://youtu.be/lxrTdudVza8?si=AM_znsaI35Cose-M

Best Wishes,

Friends of Maghull & District (FOMD)

Together making Maghull a better place to live.

More information at www.fomd.co.uk including: (1) Events tab for everything about the meeting and (2) Projects tab for the project background.

Contact: admin@fomd.co.uk

#fomdcic #Maghull #Environment  

@greensefton_

 

Screenshot