The Importance of Hi Vis

The Importance of Hi Vis
Originally uploaded by CopperPhoenix

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Co-Op and Edward Jenner Museum in an English Country Garden

On 30^th June 2009, 14 volunteer gardeners are visiting Berkeley for the day to give the Edward Jenner Museum a tidy-up/make-over in Jenner’s former garden. The Museum run by a charitable trust is the Co-Op’s chosen recipient for assistance this year out of the whole Mid-counties region, which has delighted staff at the famous Gloucestershire attraction.

As part of the Co-op ethos staff have to do ‘community hours’ which must go towards a worthwhile project. Museum Director Sarah Parker said: We are very grateful to the Co-op team for their most generous offer to help us in our efforts to improve and renovate our garden. We hope eventually to re-plant Jenner’s garden to as it was in the 18/19^th Century. We are working with garden designer, Jane Fearnley-Whittingstall on the project but need support, research and as a charity, above all funds.

The Museum currently operates with one part-time Gardener/Maintenance Manager who apart from looking after nearly one acre of garden, also looks after Edward Jenner’s 200 year old vine, planted from cuttings taken from the world’s oldest vine at Hampton Court Palace in 1801. The delicious dessert grapes (Black Hamburg) will be on sale at the museum from August and cuttings are also available.

The assistance the Co-Op volunteers will provide is an immense boost to the Museum’s “outdoor look”. After the Co-Op team has left long-term volunteers in the garden are needed for ongoing assistance and the Museum is looking for an Apprentice Vine-Keeper, to learn the ancient craft of vine-keeping.

Jenner himself apparently experimented with blood as fertilizer and was a keen gardener, along with his world famous medical research activities.

This year celebrates the 260^th anniversary of Edward Jenner’s birth and his garden has one noticeable scar on the lawn. The trench left by the University of Bristol’s archeological dig is being left open for visitors to see Saxon Berkeley. Sarah Parker said We doubt that Jenner would have been aware of how much history was under his lawn!

Para Glider over the Severn Vale

Para Glider over the Severn Vale
Originally uploaded by TMR Davies

Summer is here and there are all sorts of pursuits one can enjoy. I enjoyed just watching this one!

Summer is Over - But it seems to have finally arrived

Here in Berkeley we've had a tough summer, like many parts of Gloucestershire lots of flooding and wet weather has caused huge problems for businesses. We got away with it relatively well but as a charitable trust, Berkley Castle has suffered from the lack of income, notably the loss of the concerts and JOUST. But as the calendar says summer is over we're getting lots of sun and warm weather! Aaarrgghh!!! Just too late for the year to be saved.

On a more positive note (with reference to the picture above!) our Ghost Tours with Richard Felix look like they may sell out for next week and we still have the Edward II play to look forward to. So we can get some more people in hopefully. Where is the skull? In Edward II's Cell, where he was murdered........

Events for next year need to be planned now - this is the busiest time for tourist attractions: not sure when I fit in my 6 weeks leave I'm due to take before the end of December!