Leader of the Council. Allerdale Borough Council – Dalton Ward

Marion Fitzgerald, pictured here on a recent visit to Chrysalis with our CEO Claire and two of our wonderful members Paula and Jack

Chrysalis Gift Fair 2019

Sunday 3rd November, is the day to start your Christmas shopping with our fabulous annual Christmas Gift Fair.

At the Greenhill Hotel near Wigton, starting from 10am to 4pm, you will find a whole host of craft stalls, clothes, scarves, gifts, food, jewellery, trinkets and much much more!

So pop along and find some unique gifts just in time for Christmas.

See you there!

This week saw the grand opening of our long awaited, beautiful, Sensory Garden. We were lucky that the rain held off for the ceremonial ribbon cutting, and our guests and members were able to enjoy meandering along the pathways with the perfume of delicate flowers and sound of water trickling from the water feature, before having a well earned rest in one of the many seating areas. 

Two years ago we were given a grant from the Masonic Charitable Foundation of £25,000 to create a sensory garden at our resource base in West Street, Wigton.

It had previously been a Quaker Meeting House and had a walled back garden. It had the potential to be beautiful but had black tarmac at one end, a plain lawn in the middle, and a roughly graveled area at the far end with very little access to move around the garden. 

We launched a competition with pupils at our local secondary school (Nelson Thomlinson) to come up with an inspiring design, and it was the winner Toby Cass who’s design won and laid the foundations of the garden design we see now.

Two years, and lots of hard work later, with help from professionals, volunteers and staff alike (and the support and generosity of the local community) the garden has been transformed into a wonderful space our members can enjoy all year round.

Our vision is to have all the sensory factors explored and experienced within the garden: Touch – with running water features and different textures of plants and installations; Smell – from a variety of scented plants and shrubs; Sight – using mirrors, structural planting, light and shade; Sound – encouraging birds to visit the garden, sound of running water, wind chimes and other installations providing sound; Taste – planting a variety of edible flowers, herbs and vegetables.

The Masonic Charitable Foundation funding allowed

us to create the sensory garden with this team of professionals:

Garden design – Lisa Leonard, Acer Gardens

Pathways resign bond – Quattro

Water feature installation – Andy Nicol, ARBMap Ltd

Electrics for water Feature – Sandy Gasgarth, Abbey Electrical

Plants – David G Ross, Wholesale Nurseries

Lectern sign – Grafix Signmakers

Watercolour of garden for lectern sign – Kevin Nutter, Daffodil Lane Gallery

Ground preparation and general jobs – Vince Parry

Volunteers and companies that have given their time, expertise and donations to help create this beautiful garden:

PPM – for kindly moving the raised veg beds to their new location.

Mass planting weekend, Lisa Leonard with her gardening friends Julie Jackson and Alison Gash, plus Chrysalis staff, Julie Walsh and Pam Oddy.

Grass cutting by Tivoli.

Ray Fearon – for general support and advice throughout.

Dobbies Garden Centre – for plants and free delivery of large pots.

Sainsbury’s – for donating refreshments.

VV Rouleaux – for kindly donating official opening ribbon.

Cumberland Building Society – loan of large umbrellas.

Futamura – more umbrellas!

A massive thank you to everyone who voted for us to receive the grant from the Masonic Charitable Trust, as we would never have been able to do this without your support.

And finally, another huge thank you to lots and lots of our Chrysalis members and their support workers for all their hard work in getting the garden ready for its grand opening by mowing the grass, weeding, watering and general tidying up!

As the summer holiday season ends and the nights start drawing in, you will be forgiven if your mind starts wandering towards Christmas!

Christmas will be here before we know it, and it’s never too early to start your Christmas cake preparations, you will need plenty of time to soak your fruit to get the extra special homemade cake!

At our Chrysalis Wholefood Shop, King Street, Wigton, we have it all wrapped up for you in our handy Christmas cake packs. At only £10.50 per pack you can start your creating your perfect pud right now!

Christmas cake pack orders will be taken until Monday 25th November, so pop in or give us a call, and order yours now.

Thank you for all your support at our Coffee Morning on Saturday, it was a huge success, with lots of coffee and cake consumed, we hope everyone enjoyed browsing around the table and grabbed yourself a bargain or two!

Are you ready to join us for our annual Car Treasure Hunt?

Come along on Sunday 21st April, cars will be leaving Westward village Hall from 1.30 pm setting of on their adventure to fund the treasure!

Follow the clues around the countryside and these will bring you back to Westward village Hall for your Easter Tea with lots of sandwiches and cakes to help you refuel.

The fun does not end there… a quiz and raffle with lots of prizes ends a great fun packed afternoon.

So with something for everyone, old and young, you will have a fabulous time, come and join in the fun.