By Press Release
Who are Sandown Green Town Volunteers (SGTVs)? You may have seen us, in our hi-viz vests, working about Sandown, undeterred by heatwaves or stormy weather. What motivates us?
Set up in 2016, we have grown from a group of three, meeting in the old Broadway Centre’s draughty hall, to over 30 volunteers. Our aim has always been to make Sandown a better place to live, work and visit. Initially, we followed the interests of our volunteers, shrub-clearance and litter-picking around Battery Gardens and the Station Approach underpass. We now have regular litter/beach picks, and gardening sessions about the town.
An impetus was given to our activities when Ben Holbrook, a keen gardener, joined our group and the Isle of Wight Council passed responsibility for looking after planters and troughs to town councils. Sandown Town Council passed maintenance of the library roundabout planters and Eastern Gardens to us. In 2017 care for the pier beds, designated ‘a principal park’, was also handed to SGTVs.
Weed-like, our activities have spread from Yaverland toilets to the Cliff Path flowerbeds, previously abandoned to weeds and brambles. We have fundraised for and organised the delivery and planting up of five new decorative planters in Sandown High Street.
This year we were able to bring to fruition plans for enhancing the ‘Welcome to Sandown’ sign at Yaverland. We called it our Gateway project. It involved fundraising, project design and seeking approval and liaising with Island Roads, the IW Council and Sandown Town Council. The public response to the completed innovative design has made a lengthy process very worthwhile.
A further spur to our activities is taking part in the South and South East in Bloom competitions, firstly with small It’s Your Neighbourhood projects and then in their Small Coastal Town category. This year, for the third year in succession, Sandown was awarded Gold.
The judging is based on horticulture, the environment and community activity. From the beginning our planting has been geared to sustainability; perennial planting suited to its habitat. Whilst we do use bedding plants to add some seasonal colour our main motivation is long-term viability.
We have been delighted to work with the Common Space and Artecology in rewilding projects: from planting wild-flower plug plants and Marram grass in the Sandown Seedbank to irises in Willow Walk. In the last three years we have placed over 300 trees about the town’s hedgerows. Sandown Rotary gave us 3,000 crocus bulbs which we arranged to be planted around the town.
We enjoy community activities, such as Sandown’s carnivals and this year, Sandown Regatta, which was a great success and working with other community groups like the Sandown Community Association and the Friends of the Poo Museum.
Our volunteers work tremendously hard – because they care about Sandown and they are not going to abandon the town to dilapidated buildings and rogue developments. Residents and visitors often stop to thank us for the good work we are doing. One of the nicest comments we received when working in Eastern Gardens was “You put the spirit back into Sandown”.
This year has brought the group unexpected but deserved, recognition. Sandown is a finalist in the RHS’s national coastal town competition. We won’t know how well we have done until the end of October. In April SGTVs received a High Sheriff’s award for community service from James Attrill.
In May, Ben and I were delighted to meet Prince Edward and the Countess of Wessex and assist them in planting rose bushes. Capping everything we were granted the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in the Jubilee honours list.
You can follow our activities on our Facebook page.
Header Image: Christine Jackson, Ben Holbrook, Susie Sheldon and the Earl and Countess of Wessex
