Crocus Sundays fundraising raises over £1,000 for Lamp

Lamp joins with University of Leicester Botanic Garden at special weekends in February and March

Lamp (Leicestershire Action for Mental Health Project) charity has raised over £1,000 in donations from the Crocus Sundays seasonal events at the University of Leicester Botanic Garden.

Organised by the Friends of the Botanic Garden, an association of volunteers that supports the garden, the Crocus Sundays events invited people to come and take in the beauty of crocuses in bloom. The events took place over two weekends on Sunday 27 February and Sunday 6 March 2022, where around 500 visitors came to enjoy the garden and took the opportunity to talk to Lamp’s staff who were on hand to share details about the charity’s work.

With the success of Crocus Sundays, Lamp will broaden its collaboration with the University of Leicester Botanic Garden to raise awareness of mental health and fundraise at a Plant Sale and Family Day on Sunday 26 June. This is the University’s biggest annual public open day where children and families can come along and enjoy various events and activities set against the beautiful backdrop of the garden.

Matt Barton, Lamp’s Corporate and Community Engagement Officer said: “We’re so grateful for the success of our fundraising efforts during Crocus Sundays, particularly for the kind generosity of visitors who wanted to learn more about Lamp and our work in mental health advocacy. The event has paved the way for another opportunity to collaborate with the University of Leicester Botanic Garden to take part in the Plant Sale and Family Day on 26 June.

“We’re excited about the plans for the event and want to ensure its success, but more importantly, it will enable Lamp to deepen our relationship with the University of Leicester Botanic Garden and provide an opportunity to further enhance awareness with the general public about the work we do at Lamp. We hope that the Plant Sale and Family Day will be the first of many collaborations to come.”

Richard Gornall, Director of the Botanic Garden, said: “Through hosting Crocus Sundays with Lamp, we have been able to promote and support the development of the Garden’s plant collections and its amenities, by bringing them to a wider audience. With the Plant Sale and Family Day, we’re delighted that we will be working with Lamp once more and look forward to the charity’s support.”

The annual Plant Sale and Family Day attracts between 1,500 to 2,000 visitors of all ages. This year’s day-long schedule will include free activities for children and families, music, entertainment, art and craft stalls, a talk by a nature conservation charity, as well as a sale of special plants. Visitors will be able to browse through the various stalls which will feature the themes covered by the Botanic Garden’s work including education, research, botany, horticulture, conservation, and sustainability, both global and local.

In addition, visitors will be able to drop by Lamp’s stall where they can make a donation and learn more about the charity’s work.

Further details about the Friends of the Garden can be found here.