Praise has been given to the dedicated army of volunteers who maintain the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown in Southport who “deserve huge praise and our ongoing support”.
Sefton Councillors will be encouraged to officially write to the Botanic Gardens Community Association at the council’s full meeting next week to thank them for all they do.
Botanic Gardens celebrated its 150th birthday with a Family Fun Day on Sunday 18th June 2025 which was enjoyed by thousands of families.
A bid has now been launched aiming to secure £5 million funding to carry out vital repairs at the park, including restoring the historic ornamental bridges, improving drainage, cleaning the lake and more.
The BCGA volunteers have led the maintenance of the Botanic Gardens since austerity-led council cuts 15 years ago saw the end of Sefton gardeners looking at the site.
The volunteers are led by David and Ann Cobham, aged 82, who won the Community Impact Award, sponsored by Carlsberg, at the Grand Pride Of Sefton Awards at The Grand in Southport last year.
At the full Sefton Council meeting at Southport Town hall on Thursday, 10th July, Southport councillor Gareth Lloyd-Johnson will ask for backing from all councillors to:
- Write to the Botanic Gardens Community Association, acknowledging their excellent work and thanking them for all that they do.
- Continue to support the work being done on potential funding bids by volunteers, local councillors, Green Sefton and other council staff.
- Publish a press release celebrating the 150 year celebration event, sharing details of the match-funding campaign again.
In his motion, Councillor Gareth Lloyd-Johnson says: “On June 15th 2025, a fabulous event was held at Botanic Gardens to celebrate 150 years since the Gardens were opened.
“The first version of the Botanic Gardens was created in 1874, being officially opened in 1875. The museum followed in 1876.
“The Gardens were the idea of the Churchtown Botanic Gardens Company, a group formed by local residents at a time when recreational green space open to the public was increasingly being seen as having a positive impact on health.
“Although threatened with closure in 1932, the Botanic Gardens reopened in 1937 after proposals for housing on the site were defeated.
“Botanic Gardens is often referred to as the ‘jewel in Southport’s crown’ and is a cornerstone of our heritage and the history of our communities.
“The Botanic Gardens is now maintained by an army of dedicated volunteers who deserve huge praise and our ongoing support.
Read More: Botanic Gardens in Churchtown: Over 7,500 say what YOU want to see the park become
“This Council recognises;
- The exceptional work done by volunteers to maintain Botanic Gardens.
- That the Gardens does require investment and maintenance to keep it as the jewel in Southport’s crown.
- That much hard work is going into a potential funding bid, or bids, aided by Green Sefton and other parts of the Council.
- That a match-funding appeal has been launched as those involved in putting together funding bids recognise the need to attract support from multiple revenue streams and sources.
- That the Botanic Gardens remind us that heritage is, at least, as important as new development and that the founding principles of the Botanic Gardens, that publicly accessible green spaces are vital, should never be forgotten.
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