About us

Growing Redhill is a community-led gardening group. We are run solely by volunteers. We help local people to get into gardening. We support our members with tools and space to develop their growing skills.

We have over 15 years of experience in helping local people to 'grow their own'. Our objectives are:

We operate in Redhill and the surrounding areas. We maintain the flower planters at Merstham and Reigate Stations and have a formal partnership with Govia Thameslink Railway there.

                              Sharing gardening know-how at Woodhatch food club

We work in partnership with local organisations. Our funding comes from our members, book sales at Merstham Station, donations and grant-giving organisations.

Growing Redhill was originally established on 2007/8 as a spin-off project by Sustainable Redhill, which later became Transition Redhill. It is now a stand alone venture, with its own constitution.

All our events and activities are featured on our home page. 

Summer newsletter 2024


Hello All,

 

On the 28th June, we started with a great day with some of the staff from East Surrey College came to help us with some more of our Community Project, at Merstham Station.  Then we popped over to St Katharine’s Church to receive a well-deserved plaque from The National Garden Scheme.

  

Community Project at Merstham Station

Creating a delightful area, at the side of the station for us to look after and continue to develop. We were hoping that the building department of the college would have brought over the items that we are expecting from them but unfortunately this has to wait for another day.

 

If you remember I got a Grant from NGS to help St Katharine’s Church to create a garden for the church members and the community, to enjoy the lovely countryside behind their “Reading Room”.  It was great to receive the plaque and the recognition. Along with taking some plants to Thomas & May to help brighten up the approaches to Merstham Station.

 

Annual General Meeting

We then had our AGM on the 29th June. After the AGM business and welcoming Drum Richardson and Liz Braines to our Committee, we had a lovely presentation and thanked Debbie Fox, our chair, who is off to pastures new. She will continue to manage the Merstham Community Project and will help us with social media and our website, for a few months yet.

 

Day course in willow weaving

I wondered if you would be interested in doing a day course, probably in September, weaving an obelisk? Please let me know if you would be interested.  We will hold it, along with Caterham Horticultural Society, at their Community Garden and the tutor would come to us.


Quality Street 

We are planning to have a “Mini Show” at the Quality Street Fayre again on the 8th September.  Further details to follow soon and the details will soon be circulated. 

 

Station gardening

Merstham and Reigate Stations are looking great now, and the bit of hot weather was keeping us busy now with tidying and watering.


Tie-in with Millsted Care 

A couple of months ago we were approached by the manager of a Supported Living House, in Merstham, for people with Learning Disabilities, Millsted Care, to ask if they could help us. Since then they have been regularly watering at Merstham Station, the Community area and the planters outside the Hub. We have recently been asked to look after these, so they have been planted up with summer bedding. The Bell House Place team is also wanting to help us to water Reigate Station, and we are trying to organise this as well. We have recently given them a small grant to purchase tools, so that the staff and residents can create their own garden. 


Autumn will bring: 

Bulb planting with the Brownies on the 18th September and us doing our usual stall outside the Merstham Hub, when we will be celebrating the produce from the growing season. Drum will be sharing the work he does with The Friends of Merstham Parks and Greens and nature crafts for children. Liz will be sharing her work on beekeeping and selling her produce. This will be on the 12th October.

 

If you have the time to help with any of our work, please let me know. I would love to hear from you.

 

Kind regards,

 

Karen Murray,

Treasurer and Event Organiser.

 

Email: admin@growingredhill.co.uk

Tel: 01737 903086







Please check the website www.growingredhill.co.uk on the day for any

changes to arrangements before travelling to any events.

Previous accolades:

Reigate and Banstead Volunteer Awards 2024

Debbie Fox was awarded a long-service award,

Reigate & Banstead Volunteer Awards 2022

We won a volunteer team award - one of only two local gardening initiatives to be recognised in this way. Pictured are Debbie and Gina with our certificate.

Merstham Local Heroes Awards - each of our gardening volunteers received a certificate.

Pictured either side of the MCFT banner are Debbie, Gina and Karen, together with Cllr Mus Tary and other Local Heroes.

Surrey Horticultural Federation quiz cup - defending our title on 29 October 2017

We won the quiz trophy in November 2016. Would you like to join our quiz team? The next quiz is in October or November. All questions are multiple choice. A lift may be available from the Redhill area.

Reigate & Banstead Mayor's Certificate of Recognition 2017

Debbie and Gina were invited to Reigate Town Hall on 6 March. The Mayor of Reigate & Banstead, David Powell, gave them a certificate of recognition. It was for their contribution to Reigate & Banstead’s Heritage Open Days. They had put on an evening at Gatton Hall for over 40 people. Debbie gave her popular talk ‘The joys of gardening in East Surrey…’ and Gina put on a vintage postcard display and stalls about local gardening groups.

Reigate & Banstead Mayor's Volunteer Awards 2015

We won an award for our volunteer team! The awards seek to celebrate the role of the voluntary sector in serving the borough and its residents. They reward those who volunteer their time and show commitment to helping others.

Heart of the Community Award 2013

We were shortlisted! The aim of this campaign is to recognise and reward local non-profit making groups for the outstanding work and contribution they make within our communities every day.  We were one of only seven environment groups shortlisted in Surrey.