Two and a half years ago Newton Aycliffe Garden Guild shut its doors, and just last week, Trimdon Station Garden Club also closed for good, news which troubles the volunteers who run Shildon’s Garden Guild in Civic Hall Square.
Both clubs had been in existence for over 80 years, however a lack of volunteers meant that there was no-one left to keep this legacy going.
The Shildon club is now in its 38th year and members are also discovering that volunteers are hard to come by, with just three volunteer committee men and an honorary secretary. Three of the men are 82, while the youngest in the group is 72 years old.
The Secretary of the club, Les Iddon, commented, “We are lucky here, all of our deliveries come on a wagon with a fork lift attached, so there’s no hand balling, but like other clubs before us there are no young people willing to help. What’s our future? I don’t know.”
Anyone who would like to help the Shildon Garden Guild, which sells gardening products at bargain prices, should call in to the club (behind the Civic Hall) on a Sunday morning between 9.30 and 11.30am.
Shildon & District's local community newspaper.
