Raising money for Perennial through a 1,250 mile mowerthon

I do apologise for the hiatus.

I've just returned from yet another whirlwind stopover in the UK, launching a charity event helping to raise money for horticlturalists who have fallen on hard times.

My mission is to drive (or ride) an Etesia commercial mower from my home here in France right up to the tip of Scotland finishing at John O'Groats.

My goal is to raise £10,000 for the gardeners charity Perennial (formerly the Royal Gardeners' Benevolent Society).

Hampton Court Palace Flower Show

I met with Les Malin of Etesia, who is supplying the Etesia H124DN professional ride-on mower on which I will make my epic journey, Chris Bassett of Fusion Media; Chris is working with us to organise and promote the event and the Perennial team consisting of Anita Bates (head of marketing) Lindsey Churchill (Perennial senior caseworker) Richard Capewell (chief executive of Perennial).

I was also delighted to welcome Gary Rees-Keeble of Affinity Landscapes; Affinity are helping to sponsor the event and cover some of our expenses. Tanya Batkin and Claire Brown also came to support our launch.

During the day we were visited by many LJN members and friends who wished us well on the project.

See full details of my mowerthon here.

Helping Perennial

The Landscape Juice Network is all about helping all professional gardeners and landscapers.

Through my day-to-day work I've spoken to many distressed people in the landscaping and gardening industry who are just managing to keep their head above water. Tragically, as the economy continues to tighten its grip, I am seeing evidence of many more getting into difficulty.

Suicide

It is often considered a taboo to ask someone for help so many suffer in silence. Distressingly, one Landscape Juice Network member - someone on the face of it seen by many as being highly successful - took their own life last year.

I only came to hear of this tragic incident afterwards but I felt pain when I thought that this person was suffering, for whatever reason, and potentially had no one to turn to for help.

If Landscape Juice can help prevent another suicide, help someone sort out someone's finances or help a gardener in times of mental illness or other sickness then I will be more than pleased.

I hope you are able to support me in supporting gardeners and landscapers in need?

Please donate what you can.

Comments

[Martin]

All the best for your Mowerathon, Phil. I can't donate financially at the moment but have posted the details of your quest on my web site, forum, Twitter and Facebook pages. If you are passing through Clackmannanshire (Central Scotland) at any point send me a press release and I shall make it available to the local newspapers here and hopefully they may send a reporter or photographer to cover the event. Best of luck and safe trip.