A GARDEN that provides the setting for an upcoming A-list film is under threat of closing its gates to the public unless it can raise vital funds.
Helmsley Walled Garden, which features in this year’s forthcoming cinematic release ‘The Secret Garden’ starring Colin Firth and Julie Walters, is a charity reliant on entry fees, grants and donations.
Like many other charitable venues, the garden’s finances have taken a huge blow during the coronavirus outbreak as it has been shut.
In addition, the garden has been unable to provide vital therapeutic support to vulnerable adults who volunteer there.
The ‘Our Secret Garden’ campaign has now been launched to raise funds for the facility and organisers say if the fundraising target of at least £50,000 isn’t met before it is due to reopen in March 2021, it may not open again.
Our Secret Garden offers anyone the opportunity to adopt a square metre of the historic walled garden for a small fee, 100 per cent of which goes towards the charity.
Trish Harris, assistant garden manager (kneeling) and volunteers in March preparing for the opening of Helmsley Walled Garden for the new season before lockdown Picture: Frank Dwyer
June Tainsh, garden manager explains: "It is heart-breaking to think that our stunning garden, made so by a small staff and essential volunteers, is blooming behind locked gates and will remain that way if we don’t get vital funds soon.
"The garden provides solace and a refuge for a great many of our 50 strong volunteer workforce – some of our more vulnerable volunteers are supported in a range of ways at the garden and the provision of this unique facility and the way we run it is at risk along with the garden’s future.”
In 2018 Helmsley Walled Garden was chosen as a location for Heyday Film’s production of The Secret Garden.
A number of now-cancelled events had been arranged at the garden to celebrate its part in cinematic history along with the August 2020 release of the film.
Rosie Alison from Heyday Films which produced The Secret Garden said: "We fell in love with Helmsley Walled Garden when we visited it in our location search: not only is it an exquisite garden, but the work done there to encourage the therapeutic benefit of gardening is so in tune with The Secret Garden.”
To donate, visit helmsleywalledgarden.org.uk or localgiving.org/hwgsecretgarden
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