A garden centre has awarded £5,500 in vouchers to community projects.

Squire's Garden Centres, in Heathlands Road, Wokingham, gave the vouchers to nine projects as part of its 'Love Where You Live' 2024 programme.

The programme supports community gardening projects that educate, grow produce, or provide health and wellbeing benefits through horticulture.

The programme received more than 80 applications within weeks of being announced.

The nine selected projects were given Squire's vouchers to choose plants, tools, and other gardening supplies.

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The projects began in spring and summer, with recipients reporting back on their progress and the impact of the award on their projects and the community.

Sue Jackson, founder of Wokingham in Need, said: "We’re so very grateful for Squire’s assistance through the Love Where You Live Award – it has made a huge difference to the space at the hospital.

"It now looks amazing thanks to the effort of our volunteers and the lovely plants.

"The hospital staff and patients express their thanks, as do the many visitors from the community.

"Of special mention is the staff at Squire’s Wokingham - they are always so helpful and make it such a pleasure to visit the centre."

Sarah Squire, chairman of Squire’s Garden Centres, said: "We were really pleased to make awards to a range of important local projects.

"It has been fantastic to see that there are so many keen supporters and groups with a strong desire to enhance their local environment through the wonderful benefits horticulture delivers.

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"The feedback we have received certainly confirms the awards have made a difference and assisted volunteers with some rewarding work which will be of wider benefit either to users of the gardens or the wider community.

"We hope these awards have helped start projects that will continue into the future and enable groups to create something pleasing for communities to enjoy or creating shared spaces that brings individuals together.

"Our centres are embedded in the communities we serve and ‘Love Where You Live’ enables Squire’s to give back to the local area."

The 'Love Where You Live' 2025 programme will open for applications in late 2024.

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The 2024 award recipients were: The Therapy Garden, Normandy; Badshot Lea Community Garden; Farncombe Community Garden; Surrey Care Trust; The Peace Garden Volunteers, Pinner; Teddington Library Community Garden; Merrow Community Garden; Horsell Residents’ Association; and Wokingham in Need (Wokingham Community Hospital).