WHEN a group of Copplestone gardeners opened their gardens for a weekend in June, they grew more than £1,674 for the village Community Hall Association to help towards building a hall on the Recreation Field and for Hospiscare.

A cheque for £837.41 was presented at the Crediton Hospiscare shop to Susie Healey on behalf of Hospiscare.

Susie said it costs £6 million a year to run the service which has three full-time nurses serving the Crediton area.

Among its service is keeping in touch with families and running day activities at the Exeter centre meeting a social need and helping keep people active in their community.

Presenting the cheque Anne Gatton, chairman of the Garden Club, thanked Hospiscare who, sponsored by Bernaville, did all the printing and provided banners for the day.

“The rest was down to our gardeners who worked in excessive heat and with a lack of rain had double the work,” she added.

Also handing over the cheque was Ann Downer, Garden Club secretary. Next meeting of the Garden Club is 7.30pm on Wednesday, August 22 at Waterbridge Golf Course.

The seven gardens, all belonging to members of Copplestone Garden Club were: Copplestone Station, 2 Railway Cottage on Station Road, 43 Fernworthy Park, Bewsley Edge, Reflections, Tower View and Eastlands, the latter trio being alongside the main road into the village.

Sue Read