Urgent call for help to maintain Milford on Sea’s Secret Meadow

Milford on Sea’s Community Meadow is in desperate need of willing helpers to join a team of volunteer gardeners.

Sue Crabb, Chair of Milford on Sea Gardeners’ Club and leader of the Meadow Gardeners, explains: 

Milford on Sea’s Community Meadow, also known as the “secret meadow,” can be found bordering the All Saints' Churchyard to the north of the church. 

This is a piece of land which was bequeathed to the parish by a Miss Gillespie who wished it to remain a quiet, open space for the use of the community. It’s accessed by a tall metal gate set in the yew hedge that borders the churchyard and the path leading to the main road into Milford. (I’m not talking about the piece of Meadow that has just recently been acquired.)

When it came into parish hands in October 2018, it was very overgrown, and Milford Conservation Volunteers cleared and chopped it extensively.

During the first half of 2019, a path and some raised planters were put in with the idea that various local groups would be able to garden there. 

Four benches were also installed, and some dedicated trees were planted. 

The Meadow was officially opened in June 2019 with a picnic, which was attended by many local people with an interest in the project.

With the emergence of COVID in early 2020 and subsequent lockdowns, everything ground to a halt. Weeds were becoming rampant on the cleared areas, and all the good work so far was in danger of being lost. 

I started making visits to the Meadow as part of my daily exercise and decided to take it on as a project, drawing up an accurate plan and some ideas of how the Meadow could be developed. I talked to Graham Wells in the Parish Office about my ideas, and since then, have been gardening at the Meadow with a small but great team of volunteers.

We have worked tirelessly over the last five years to get the Meadow to where it is now, and it is looking lovely. 

Sadly, I have reached a stage in my life when I no longer have the physical ability to keep this going. I simply can’t do it anymore.

My group of Meadow gardeners is dwindling. I have just four regulars, and nearly all of us are well into our 70s. We urgently need some new, younger, stronger people to take over. I would be devastated if the Meadow fell into disrepair, but that is what will happen unless we have some more volunteers to maintain it.

Surely someone can spare one or two hours a week or even every other week. Tasks include weeding, pruning, planting and watering and guidance can be given.

Seek out the Meadow if you haven’t yet found it. Sit on one of the benches and enjoy the bird song or just the peace and quiet. It’s a special place, right in the heart of Milford!

Sue Crabb

Chair of Milford on Sea Gardeners’ Club and leader of the Meadow Gardeners

Contact me at milfordgardeners@gmail.com