Botanic Gardens Community Association Chairman David Cobham (left) and Make A Change For Ben campaigner David Rawsthorne (right) at the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

Campaigners calling for the Botanic Gardens in Southport to be cleaned up and made safe have thanked all the local people and businesses which have shown such generosity so far. 

Hundreds of people have donated to their GoFundMe page, which has already raised over £6,500. 

The money will be given to the Botanic Gardens Community Association with the aim of installing water aeration features, cleaning the lake and installing railings around the lake. 

Campaigners want to see the first aeration water fountain to be installed this autumn. 

The Make A Change For Ben campaign is being inspired by local man Ben Smith-Crallan, who died after falling into the lake at Botanic Gardens in Churchtown in June 2018. He was just 37.

Ben’s sister, Nina Thomas, said: “Even if Ben wasn’t the catalyst for your donation but you love the Botanic Gardens and all that it brings to our community please know that you really will have made a significant difference and we’re all really grateful for that.” 

Ben Smith-Crallan (centre) was his dad Peter Smith-Crallan (left) and his sister Nina Thomas (right)

The movement has enlisted the support of thousands of local people and nine celebrities including Liverpool FC legend Alan Hansen, Radio 1 DJ Adele Roberts and golfer Tommy Fleetwood. 

The Make A Change For Ben campaign has been launched by Ben’s closest friend, David Rawsthorne, and is supported by members of Ben’s family and by the volunteers from the Botanic Gardens Community Association. 

David Rawsthorne and Ben’s sister, Nina Thomas, have launched a Botanic Gardens Fundraiser GoFundMe page, and are grateful to everyone who has already donated. 

David said: “It is sadly too late for Ben now. But he is the driving force behind our campaign to make the Botanic Gardens and the lake safe for others. 

“We met at school, at Stanley High, and knocked around together until he sadly passed away. 

“A couple of years ago, after Ben died, I started a campaign to improve the water quality at the park, but then I lost heart. 

“The Botanic Gardens Community Association submitted a bid for funding for improvements to the lake area to Southport Town Deal, but when nothing came from that for the Botanic Gardens, that inspired us to start the campaign and to Make A Change For Ben

“I think David and Ann Cobham and all the volunteers here at the Botanic Gardens have been working so hard over the past 10 years and they have been calling for improvements to be made during that time, but they have been getting very little reward. 

“I am emotionally involved in the campaign after my best friend fell into the lake and died. 

“That has been my motivation to keep this campaign going and going until we are successful. We need people’s help and support to achieve that.”

Make A Change For Ben campaigner David Rawsthorne on the bench dedicated to Ben Smith-Crallan at the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

Make A Change For Ben campaigner David Rawsthorne on the bench dedicated to Ben Smith-Crallan at the Botanic Gardens in Churchtown in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

Water aeration fountains will help to increase the oxygen saturation of water in the Botanic Gardens lake. Aeration techniques are commonly used in pond, lake, and reservoir management to address low oxygen levels or algal blooms.

It is one of the safety features which the group is looking to fund. 

They also want to see the lake cleared and railings installed around the water’s edge. 

Plans are now being put in place for work to be undertaken.

Earlier this month, Sefton Council outlined ideas for up to £30,000 in improvements for the lake and lakeside area. These include new water aeration fountains, the installation of new fencing and secure lifeline stations, as well as plans for annual community clean-up events.

Councillors and council officers, Make A Change For Ben campaigners and the Botanic Gardens Community Association have met to discuss the proposals.

All have agreed the importance of prioritising the aerating fountains as the first phase.

Funding for the phased lakeside improvements is set to come from community fundraising schemes, local ward budgets and the Green Sefton Service.

Cllr Ian Moncur, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing said: “Our Green Sefton team has been working alongside a number of dedicated community groups who care deeply about the future of the park and are keen to see improvements that benefit everyone who loves spending time there.

“We’re at the stage where we have been able to agree some initial improvements focused on the lakeside area that will complement the work already undertaken, at the beginning of the year, to improve the aviary.

“But our longer-term vision is to reinvigorate the park with a whole host of potential ideas that would offer better facilities for our communities as well as providing a positive boost to the local visitor economy, including the creation of new jobs.”

The wishlist contains items such as converting the forner Botanic Gardens Museum into a wedding venue; bringing boats back; adding fairground rides; creating a new cafe; providing a high ropes course; building a butterfly house and a cactus house; and more besides. 

For David, Ben’s family and their supporters, they want to see safety measures such as the cleaning of the lake and water aeration features as a matter of urgency as they seek to grow more support for their campaign. 

David said: “At the start of the campaign we got loads of Make A Change For Ben leaflets printed, and I took them all around Southport, dropping them through people’s letterboxes, pinning them up. 

“We need to raise awareness, and we need to see safety measures at the Botanic Gardens made urgently. 

“With the money we are raising through our campaign, I want to see the first water aeration fountain installed this autumn, before the winter. 

“It would be great if we can make that happen as a community. 

“We are very grateful for everyone who has donated and who has supported our campaign so far. 

We have raised over £6,500 through our GoFundMe appeal

“This summer we enjoyed a fantastic day at Southport Pleasureland, where we raised £1,633 for the Make A Change For Ben campaign.

“I’m overwhelmed by this massive vote of support by Mr Norman Wallis, the owner of Southport Pleasureland.

“We have received £1,400 from a very generous anonymous donor

John Dodd has donated £1,000. 

Gordon Galley of Windowcare has donated £500, while Monkey Puzzle Nursery donated £500 a few weeks ago.

Co-Op in Churchtown kindly raised £400 for the campaign. 

Tesco Express in Churchtown has raised £450. 

“We are very grateful for all their support. 

“Any money we have raised, and keep raising, is going solely towards lake and bridge improvements or match funding. 

The Botanic Gardens in Churchtown in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

The Botanic Gardens in Churchtown in Southport. Photo by Andrew Brown Media

“The money will go to the Botanic Gardens Community Association and will be ring fenced for improvements to the lake and new safety measures. If we get more money than the project costs, then we will use that for ongoing maintenance.” 

David has also donated £1,000 of his own money to the campaign, as he felt it was important for him to lead the way. 

He said: “I am putting my money where my mouth is! That is why I have donated what I have donated. 

“Plus, I started the campaign, and I thought it is what I should have done, to keep it going.” 

He is full of praise for the volunteers from the Botanic Gardens Community Association who have been campaigning for improvements to the park for the past 10 years. 

David said: “David and Ann Cobham and their team of volunteers have worked over the last 10 years. I just want to emphasise just how hard they work. 

“David and Ann haven’t had a holiday for years due to their commitment to the Botanic Gardens and I feel they deserve some kind of regional recognition of this.

“Please if you are a retired gardener or enjoy gardening and have a few spare hours of a week get in touch with them.” 

 

 

 

 

Do you have a story for Stand Up For Southport? Please message Andrew Brown via Facebook here or email me at: mediaandrewbrown@gmail.com

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