Circular Dorking Projects
South Street Gardens Memorial Project
Latest News: MP Chris Coghlan visits the South Street Memorial Garden project
Last week Chris Coghlan, MP for Dorking and Horley (right of photo), visited the South Street Gardens to talk to project leader Jacqui and see the amazing progress so far.
The project is going at pace but still could do with more volunteers for easy tasks and digging. Skilled help with rockery and rubble is also urgently needed.
Photo Library of Visit
Donate to this Community Project
Have you seen the project in South Street?
Many people walking past the gardens have been very complimentary to the teams working on the project and have wished to leave feedback.
About the War Memorial garden renovation
This community gardening project will renovate the area around South Street War Memorial in honour of the 80thAnniversary of the end of World War II. It began in March and will run until the end of October 2025. The project is funded by a small grant from Mole Valley as part of their UKSPF allocation from central government which is paying for the plants and essential equipment.
Volunteering opportunities offer a selection of sessions and activities. We aim to have fun and a sense of achievement as the transformation happens. If you are interested in volunteering please email us on the link below.
You can join a single session or several if you wish, but places are limited because this is a short project with seasonal deadlines. Each session will have the Project Leader and a Working Party of up to 6 people, with a clear goal to progress.
What tasks are involved?
- Clearance of the three beds. Cutting down and digging out unwanted shrubs, removing ground ivy, processing this waste vegetation into bags for collection
- Pruning some retained shrubs, digging out a few plants to reserve and relocate
- Planting new shrubs and smaller plants
- Laying mulch
- Sowing seeds in May
- Establishment and maintenance watering, deadheading and light pruning if needed to shape, from April until end of November
- Sowing a second batch of seeds in September
- Planting bulbs from September to late October
What knowledge and abilities do I need?
Not all tasks need ‘green fingers’; some of the early clearance is more ‘green gym’. You will join one or more sessions that match your capabilities, by arrangement with the Project Leader.
More strenuous activities will be digging and lifting to remove mature bushes, hauling waste bags, moving new shrubs into position, moving small rocks, placing compost or mulch and positioning the new water tanks when delivered (a two person per unit task). There will also be sawing and lopping. Lighter tasks and gardening knowhow are needed after the clearance.
Safety and accessibility
The area will involve working on some slopes and uneven ground; only one bed is level. For the heavier work, you will need to have experience of safe handling methods. We will use hand tools, including pruning saws, loppers and secateurs.
If you are interested in volunteering please
We look forward to Springing into action, hopefully with your help!
Volunteer Photo Library
Volunteer information
Below are downloadable forms for volunteers
Donate to the project
The amazing thing is that people passing South Street have asked how they can donate to the project. Whilst we have some initial funding there is always an opportunity to add more and enhance what is already being done.
Please reference your donation MEMORIAL GARDEN.
Thank you
An amazing number of individuals and organisations have assisted with this project. Here is a listing of all who have contributed or volunteered in other ways.
Project managed by Jacqui.
- All of our amazing individual volunteers
- Wild by Design for help on the site survey.
- Brodie Biomass
- Dave Ford tree care
- Earthwurks
- Waitrose Dorking
- Dorking Quakers
- Royston Williams photographer
- Seymour’s Dorking
- Sabre Insurance
- Pupils from St Paul’s School
Dorking initiative funded by Government through Mole Valley District Council
