~~ The more we pick up, the less they’ll drop ~~
July 2018
We have some fantastic news to share with you all – S.H.I.P has won a £10,000 grant from the National Lottery Fund. We are over the moon and will spending the money on improv
ing the equipment, tools and PPE (Personal Protective Equipment) that the volunteers have to work with. It will fund our 4 annual community events and all the equipment needed to hold such events. Also, volunteer training, planting and lots more.
Thi
s fabulous news came just a few weeks after learning that Southchurch Hall Gardens had been awarded the Green Flag Award for the first time in it’s history.
As usual we have had a very busy (& hot!) programme of events with the usual tending 
to the gardens, weeding, collecting of rubbish and, of course, connecting with local residents. 
Sadly the newly planted lavender beds (outside the museum) were vandalised with 18 plants being torn out and thrown around the Gardens. We managed to salvage half of them and now the wild flowers are in full bloom the beds look glorious. 
We were able to put our newly qualified First Aider to the test when a member of the public cut open their hand whilst picnicking.
March – Summer 2018
Well what a year for S.H.I.P so far. We held our first AGM in May. We have been getting stronger in the community making connections with various organisations for example: our Chairperson was nominated for an Essex Police Commissioners’ Award. We have linked with the Unitarian Hall to assist with their litter picking in return for the use of their hall. We won some funding from local businesses in ‘Double Whammy’. We joined in at the Mendip Vegan Festival in March and in April the Gardens had a visit from the Green Flag committee.
Two members have been trained First Aid and four members attended at Sharps Training session at STARS.
The gardens are staying cleaner and a little planting has taken place. With our water butts now in place more planting can follow.
Our 2nd community event of 2018, Spring in to Action, was a great success (see our gallery for more photos).
A film crew arrived to film our Chairperson… more on this to follow later.
February 2018
By the middle of February, the Council Gardeners had completed their schedule of work within the Gardens with the dredging and clearing of the ponds.
For the first time in years the water level raised and the wonderful sound of trickling water was heard again.
With years of rubbish and debris uncovered we were kept extra busy with litter picking and clearing up. We notice that the ducks seem happier with the raised, free flowing water and we hope that they will breed more successfully than they have done in the past few years.
The snow arrived making the park look even more magical than usual. 
January 2017
With the bleak winter months nearly behind us now we are appreciating the 
hard work we have all put in to these magnificent gardens. Southend Council Garden Team has been very present continuing to coppice and trim hedges as well as low level dredging in some areas of the ponds.
You can now see the Hall from all areas of the Gardens and also the waterways (and hear them trickling too!).
The bulbs which we planted in the Autumn are starting to make an appearance and we look forward planting up the triangular bed at the Woodgrange entrance so watch this space.
We reached our first Anniversary in January and celebrated with volunteers meeting for a meal and a birthday cake kindly donated by Patricia Sampson and the owners of Pieno Lleno who hosted our anniversary meal.
In our first year we have met some fabulous people and made great connections both in Southend and other Boroughs within Essex. We look forward to continuing to forge relationships and share our expe
rtise and energies. Project 49 is one such connection and we were delighted to welcome a group of volunteers along to one of our mid-week litter picks. Lots of rubbish was collected on this beautiful sunny afternoon
Obviously litter remains an issue, particularly in the ponds and moat so a team of litter pickers are kept busy at each of our meets plus digging a
nd sweeping continues too with our wonderful army of volunteers on board.
November 2017
As well as the usual litter picking and general gardening the roses were pruned back to encourage new growth for next year. We were surprised just how much rubbish was hidden underneath the overgrown rose gardens.
The Council Gardeners turned up in force to clear and coppice the Gardens. They were present for nearly three weeks working hard on clearing lots of overgrown and long dead foliage. This will encourage lots of healthy new growth for next year with the light and air circulating well.
October 2017
The Autumn months kept us busy with, what seemed to be, continuously sweeping and raking up the Autumn leaves and fallen crab apples. We were lucky to have 5 old compost bins donated so we were able to make good use of them immediately and we look forward to using the mulch in the Spring.
We set about planting the spring bulbs donated by Homebase earlier this year and look forward to them springing up and bringing back much needed colour to the gardens.
Planting of spring bulbs
September 2017
A busy month in the park with cutting back the rapidly growing foliage which, following the heatwave, took over the paths and steps making some areas impassable. 
With very little gardening other than mowing & tree felling done by the Council’s Parks Team this year the garden is looking unkempt and very GREEN.
S.H.I.P has worked closely with the Parks Team and Council to gain their trust and as of this month we have permission to take on small garden projects independently.
Having received a generous donation of plants and bulbs from Homebase, we intend to get planting so that 2018 will see colour return to the Gardens once more. Also, we have control over two of the Museum herb beds which we look forward to planting up with traditional herbs. The other two herb beds will be part of a Parks & school community project which is very exciting.
September was a particularly busy month with planning S.H.I.P’s first Event – Pretty as a Picture. Lots of extra meetings, leafleting, postering and ‘pestering’ local retailers who very generously donated gifts for our tombola and artist prizes.
On 30.9.2017 We promoted S.H.I.P at 
the wonderful Fun Day held by Belle Vue Church & Shared 
Space Charity Shop to celebrate their 1st birthday.
August 2017
A busy Summer with lots of new volunteers joining us and bringing their own ideas & skills.
Finding innovative methods to remove ‘ surprising’ rubbish is a challenge
where there’s a wheel….
….there’s a way!
July 2017
What a successful month with a record number of volunteers on board to help with the litter picking we were able to bran
ch off (excuse the pun) and concentrate on digging over a few beds to keep them weed free and prepare the soil for some bulb planting.
As you will see, we are working hard at keeping the pathways clear of overgrown plants and bramble so that visitors have safe access to all areas of the Gardens.
And, yes, lots of rubbish collected too! With many more picnics held in the park during the glorious weather at the beginning of the month, we had a lot of e
xtra work to do with ketchup bottles, plastic cutlery added to our usual booty!
a better class of rubbish
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