Maggie’s prepares to host National Garden Scheme event

Local cancer support charity Maggie’s Oldham is opening its beautiful garden to the public on Sunday week (July 23), as part of the National Garden Scheme’s ‘Gardens Open for Charity’ event.

The garden and greenhouse sit beneath the ‘floating’ centre.

The designer, Rupert Muldoon, describes it as an ‘ornamental woodland’.

He said: “It was a high honour to be asked to design the garden at Maggie’s Oldham.

"My challenge was to respond to the wooded landscape and ‘treehouse’ concept; defining and painting the setting with colour, texture and all scales of planting.”

Visitors are invited to look at the relationship between the centre and the garden below – taking in the breathtaking views of the Pennines and experiencing the positive effect that the space can have on people with cancer and their loved ones.

Rupert added: "Woodlands are also planted with the future in mind.

"They have a longevity and a purpose.

"The birch trees at Oldham have been planted at various maturities.

"I hope this successional approach will mean the trees can evolve over many years and always have a presence at the Maggie’s Centre; over a timescale that is beyond us all.”

Maggie’s will be opening alongside another beautiful garden, Lark Rise in Chadderton.

Visitors are encouraged to visit both gardens, which are located very close to each other.

The event will run from 12pm to 5pm on Sunday, July 23, and refreshments will be available.

Entry for adults is £5 and children go free.

- Maggie's Oldham - Sir Norman Stoller Building, Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Rd, OL1 2JH

- Lark Rise - 515 Burnley Lane, Chadderton, OL9 0BW

The National Garden Scheme gives visitors access to over 3,500 exceptional private gardens in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and the Channel Islands, and raises impressive amounts of money for nursing and health charities through admissions, tea and cake.

Maggie’s helps people take back control when cancer turns their life upside down.

Maggie’s expert staff focus on the things that really make a difference to people with cancer and their friends and family, like help with stress and depression, managing side-effects of treatment, family support, helping with money worries and bereavement support.

All support is free and you don't need an appointment or referral – just call in.

Maggie’s Oldham opened in the grounds of the Royal Oldham Hospital in 2017 and each year 10,000 people visit the centre for support.

Since Maggie’s opened its first centre in 1996, the charity has developed a programme of support that is proven to help people with cancer, as well as family and friends, take back control.

Maggie’s professional staff include psychologists, cancer support specialists and benefits advisors, and is funded by voluntary donations.

To find out more about Maggie’s Oldham please visit the centre at the Royal Oldham Hospital, Rochdale Road, Oldham, OL1 2JH, or get in touch on 0161 989 0550.

The email address is: oldham@maggies.org

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