Montse Benitez Foundation: Donates to Hoylake Cottage sensory garden

OPENING OF HOYLAKE COTTAGE’S NEW CELEBRATION AND SENSORY GARDEN ATTENDED BY RAFA AND MONTSE BENITEZ

On Saturday 22nd September, Hoylake Cottage opened its new Celebration and Sensory Garden with a tea party for all the donors and supporters who helped raise the funds to enable Hoylake Cottage to complete the garden.

The garden has been planted specifically with the needs of the residents and clients in mind, with raised planted beds to encourage touch and stimulate the sense of smell; various grasses to provide texture, and a stainless steel water feature which has been designed to be interacted with through touch and sound. With a new greenhouse and raised planting beds, the residents will be able to start to grow their own vegetables in the Spring.

With the sun shining, proceedings began with Rafa and Montse Benitez unveiling a plaque, recognising their very generous donation which meant that the timely completion of the new kitchen and administration block was possible. Without their donation, the garden would still be an aim rather than a reality.

The Montse Benitez Foundation also presented a cheque for the sum of £5,100, raised at their Golf Day which was held at the Royal Liverpool Golf Club in July. The monies will go towards the “Appeal for Wheels”, an appeal to raise monies for a new minibus for the Day Care Centres.

CEO Lin Cooke said “We are all extremely grateful to Rafa and Montse Benitez for their generous and continuing support, without which we would not be in the position we are today. Their support has enabled Hoylake Cottage to complete the new kitchen and administration block and the Celebration and Sensory Garden.

“I would also like to thank all the donors and supporters who gave to our Garden Appeal, which has enabled us to complete the landscaping of the new garden. The residents have been able to go out and enjoy the sunshine, and a number of activities have taken place under the shade of the gazebo – it has made a real difference.”

Fundraising Manager Sarah Green said “It’s been a wonderful afternoon, with our donors and supporters able to see where their money has gone, which is very important to us.”