South Street Gardens Memorial Project

About the War Memorial garden renovation

This community gardening project is renovating the area around South Street War Memorial in honour of the 80^thAnniversary of the end of World War II.

It began in March and will run until the end of March 2026.  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.

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 Manager

• Jacqui

Businesses and Organisations

• Brodie Biomass  
• Buckland Nurseries • David and Linda Hogg
• Circular Dorking • Wendy Saunders, Paul Street, Andy Tanner and the working group
• Dave Ford tree care
• Dorking Mens Shed • David Tobitt • Benches renovation
• Dorking Quakers • Sally Elias 
• Dorking Bred • Tim McEntire • Wool for soil improvement 
• Earthwurks • Neil Chalice and Jason K
• Friends of Deepdene • volunteers
• Hello Dorking • Help with promotion
• Hilliers Garden Centre • Wendy and Ed
• idverde • Gareth and Kevin and the waste team
• molegroundwork.com • Jay and Louis
• Sabre Insurance • volunteers
• Scamells Garden Design • Joanna Grzeja for facilitating wholesale supplies
• Seymour’s Dorking • comments book
• UKi Media and Events • volunteers
• Village Greens Farm Shop
• Waitrose Dorking
• Wild by Design • Max Denton, Tarun Aluvihare, Joe Blunt and Josh Holden • wholesaler ordering
• Wild Eden Co Limited • Nick Keepen

Individual Contributors

• Nick K for turf, irrigation and wholesaler ordering
• Nick Bullen • Hardcore recycling and wool for soil improvement
• Royston Williams selected photography
• Pupils from St Paul’s School organised by Fiona Watkins

Volunteers

For miscellaneous discussions:

• Keith M trees and bank retention
• Ivan T for plants discussion and wholesale ordering 

Startup discussions and information:

• Sally Dubery at CSVA, The Point
• Isobel Gowan at Patchworking Garden
• Jakki at Westcott community garden
• Simon at Dorking Hospital community garden

Other help

• Theresa P for parking, electricity, plant storage and welfare in the form of regular hot drinks and biscuits 
• Darren Bye access to electricity
• Paul at Butterhill House for the ladder borrow
• Patti at Butterhill for temporary plant storage

Supporters

• Jean Ward and Gwen Wood at the Dorking Society
• Councillor Stephen Cooksey
• Councillor Elsie Rosam
• Steve and Shirley Settle • power washer loan
• James Claridge • pallet transport
• Karl • Transporting rubble

Donors

• Dorking Brasserie
• Alex Harden
• The Currie Family
• Kevin
• Jo Heron 
• Kate in memory of Nicholas Grealy
• Jane Le-Cluse
• Kathleen Peters
• Sue Tanner
• Donors who wish to remain anonymous

A list of my FREE bio recycling in the project 
For Soil improvement and mulching: 

• A local farm enterprise donated their Biochar compost product for planting.
• Other sources of free green wastes for compost trenching 
• Sheared sheep’s wool from two local farms
• DAHA manures (Dorking Allotment Holders Association).
• Chipped timber and brash from local tree surgery.
• Foodfloat and community Fridge’s reject greens.
• Reject greens from Village Greens.
• Spent coffee grounds from town shops.
• Plain cardboard packaging destined for recycling from the High Street shops.
• Waste turf off cuts for mulch and erosion control

Donate

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.

Comments

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.

Gallery

More images will be loaded soon.

Chris Coughlan visit

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.

Volunteer

The project is going at pace but still could do with more volunteers for a variety of tasks.

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 information

Below are downloadable forms for volunteers

Dorking initiative funded by Government through Mole Valley District Council