Fantastic response to our new Memorial Woodland in Wendover!
Several hundred people from across Herts and Bucks turned out over two weekends in February to help create our new Wendover Memorial Woodland. They planted 450 native British saplings on a one-acre site overlooking Wendover in an area of outstanding natural beauty and their efforts were matched by supporters who chose to become patrons of the woodland by making donations totalling over £20,000 in memory of loved ones.
IRHH Partnership Fundraiser, Linda Petrons, who organised the plantings, said she was thrilled with the response. "We had hoped to raise £10,000 so to double our target is just brilliant," she said. "We were also delighted with the wonderful turnout of volunteers who came with spades and wellies to help plant the young trees.
"I would like to thank everyone who gave their time and money so generously. The Wendover Memorial Woodland will be a beautiful place for people to visit, to reflect and to remember. And we have raised enough money to keep one of our nurses on the road for six months."
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The hundreds of volunteer planters were helped by BBC Breakfast presenter Bill Turnbull, and former head of BBC weather Bill Giles OBE, both patrons of IRHH. Cadets from RAF Halton also turned out to help prepare the ground for planting.
 IRHH Nurse Bridget Hammond with Barbara Brereton |
Volunteer Barbara Brereton, from Aston Clinton, helped with the plantings on both weekends. She was supporting the project in memory of her husband Roger, who was cared for by Iain Rennie nurses before he died in 2007. "I came along with three of Roger's school friends, who had known him for 40 years," she said. "They came from Sussex , Surrey and London, and it was great to have their support.
"My husband was looked after at home by the Ridgeway nursing team. They helped us through a very difficult journey. Roger was a supporter of the Iain Rennie nursing service and helped set up the charity's bookshop in Tring."
Barbara is a regular volunteer at our Tring office and also helps with fundraising for the Pepper children's nursing team.
There will be a special celebration of the new Wendover Memorial Woodland on Sunday 12th September when the young trees will be in leaf. Everyone will be invited to come along for a picnic followed by a dedication ceremony.
If you would like to become a patron of the woodland, or find out more, please click here or call Fundraising on 01442 890222.
18th February 2010
