The Lee Manor Society has been awarded a £12,000 grant by the Mayor of London’s Green Roots Fund, to convert the Big Bed in Manor House Gardens into an accessible, climate-resilient and biodiversity-rich feature, transforming it into an educational hub for the community.
The Big Bed project is a collaboration between the Society, the Friends of Manor House Gardens, Lewisham Council and Glendale. Lucy Anne Bishop, a regular volunteer with Lee Green WI who do tireless work in the Gardens, and is an expert in nature and sustainability, will be the advisor on the educational aspects of the project.
The Big Bed is on the north side of the Gardens, near the Manor House Library. Work has already begun – the weeds and undergrowth have been cleared and a central path created. The next step is to create a planting design to incorporate drought resistant plants and water conservation.
The Green Roots grant will supplement an NCIL grant of £2,450 awarded last year by Lewisham Council . In addition the Friends of Manor House Gardens and the Lee Manor Society will be contributing their own funds to this ambitious project. Together this money will go a long way to rescuing the Big Bed from its overgrown and unsightly state.
Fantastic work well done to all involved!