Pupils hand-over more than £3,000 to Harrogate charity Horticap

Creative pupils at a Harrogate school have handed over more than £3000 to local charity Horticap.

Every year children, parents and staff at independent prep school Belmont Grosvenor join forces with Harrogate gardening charity Horticap to run festive wreath-making and Christmas table decoration workshops.

Sourcing the foliage from Belmont Grosvenor’s 20-acres of school grounds, Horticap students spend a day with children making festive decorations which parents, friends and staff then buy to support the charity’s work.

This week, staff and students from Horticap dropped into Belmont Grosvenor School, based at Swarcliffe Hall, Birstwith,  to pick up a cheque for £3,225 – proceeds from  the school’s annual wreath-making sales.

Horticap Assistant Manager Phil Airey thanked BGS for the cash – and gave pupils a helping hand planting some colourful pots for their 20-acres of school grounds.

“This is the 40th anniversary year of Horticap and we are hoping to raise £400,000 to build a new canteen and boot room for our students. The existing one we have at our site is the only original building left at Bluecoat Woods Nurseries.

“This money from BGS is much appreciated and will go into that fundraising pot. We have a wonderful relationship with Belmont Grosvenor School, built up over many years, and we should like to thank everyone at the school and nursery for their continued support,” said Mr Airey.

Belmont Grosvenor School is a co-educational prep school and nursery welcoming children from three months to 11 years. It is set in 20-acres of grounds in the village of Birstwith, just a few miles from the centre of Harrogate.

Miss Jo Hardy, Belmont Grosvenor School Year 4 teacher and Charity Co-ordinator at the school, said: “Our relationship with Horticap began many years ago when we raised money to support their fund-raising efforts to create a café at their Harrogate site.

“We are delighted to be able to support their latest fund-raising appeal. It is always such a joy for our children to work with Horticap students, sharing their skills and providing our pupils with a wonderful day,” she said.

Belmont Grosvenor School’s next open day is on Wednesday 1st May 2024 – for more information visit the website at www.belmontgrosvenor.co.uk