The Gardeners’ House has been awarded an £890 grant from the Bupa Foundation Green Community Grants Fund.
We needed to make The Grove – an outdoor play space we used for our events, located in Morrab Gardens – a truly all-weather space that can be used and enjoyed throughout the year. We looked for funding for sails that can be quickly erected within the space to provide shelter from rain and summer sun.
Daisy Wright, who works with children and young people and runs events for them at the Gardeners’ House, was also keen to add a mud kitchen to the available equipment to encourage imaginative play especially for under 9s.
The mud kitchen will be constructed using free pallets with the work being carried out by a local carpenter. The pots, pans and other items will be sourced for free via a recycling charity, with some items purchased from charity shops.
The Bupa Foundation has invested more than £1.5 million in Green Community Grants across the UK, Republic of Ireland and the Channel Islands helping over 794 schools and community organisation put their green space improvements into action – from funding outdoor classrooms, community allotments, sensory gardens and more.
Daisy said: “It’s really exciting to be awarded this funding – it really helps us to make better use of our outdoor spaces, protecting everyone from the unpredictable Cornish weather and adding in more elements of play to The Grove too. It’ll really help us with making the most of the green spaces we have right on our doorstep.”
Anna Russell, director of the Bupa Foundation, said: “We’re delighted to announce the 2025 Bupa Foundation Green Community Grants, with total funding across three years now reaching £1.5 million. The creativity and dedication of schools and community groups in bringing projects to life that help people and places thrive is truly inspiring. Congratulations to this year’s grantees – and thank you for everything you do to bring nature closer to home and support healthier, more connected communities.”
The Bupa Foundation Green Community Grants Fund is administered by the national community charity, Groundwork.
Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said: “We are delighted that schools and community groups up and down the UK have been able to benefit from this much-needed funding from the Bupa Foundation, helping to support and expand projects that deliver environmental learning and improve wellbeing.”
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