Otley garden centre provides plants to renovate Leeds children’s charity garden

The team at Otley Garden Centre has provided subsidised plants to support the renovation of three areas of Leeds Children’s Charity’s Lineham Farm in Eccup.

Leeds University student, Aaron Cook approached Otley Garden Centre for support when he and fellow university students wanted to renovate the garden at Lineham Farm in memory of a friend who passed away last year.

The group were financing the project through fundraising and had previously raised £5,000 for Leeds Children’s Charity by completing the National Three Peaks and running the Leeds Half Marathon.

“I chose the charity due to its innovative ways of providing children and families from disadvantaged backgrounds with opportunities and experiences everyone should have,” said Mr Cook.

“It means a huge amount to be able to contribute to such a fantastic charitable effort in Leeds; as students from the University of Leeds, we think it’s important to contribute in a positive and meaningful way to the Leeds community. We wanted to do a big community project to mark our final year and we are grateful to Andy Bradley and the team at Otley Garden Centre for helping us to achieve our goal.”

A team of 20 renovated the garden, which included a bench, some landscaping, and over 150 plants, including Hydrangeas, Salvias, Anemones, and Hollyhocks, provided by Otley Garden Centre.

“With Otley Garden Centre’s support, we have managed to get a lot more plants and supplies than expected, which will definitely help with all the different areas we want to re-plant throughout the grounds,” added Mr Cook.

“The team at Leeds Children’s Charity works with some of the city’s most vulnerable and disadvantaged children, with the aim of improving their physical and mental health. We’re a community-focused business and are proud and delighted to be able to support this project,” said Otley Garden Centre Manager Andy Bradley.

Leeds Children’s Charity has always provided respite breaks for disadvantaged children, and since the merger with Lineham Farm in 2020, they are able to do so in a best-in-class outdoor educational complex set in a beautiful 120-acre countryside setting.

Otley Garden Centre is part of the Yorkshire Garden Centres family, which comprises Tong, Tingley and Bingley Garden Centres plus Dean’s in York and Scarborough.