A GUNNISLAKE Open Garden event has raised over £3,000 for St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth.

The event held at Sandhill House Country Retreat saw 346 visitors braving the weather to support the local charity.

The afternoon event held on Sunday, April 23 was part of St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth’s Open Garden Scheme which is running from April until September and sees some of the most beautiful gardens in Devon and Cornwall open their gates in support the charity.

The day saw visitors exploring the beautiful gardens whilst enjoying homemade cakes and cream teas. There were also a variety of stalls with a selection of craft items and local produce on offer.

Spirits were high as the gardens were open for all to enjoy after a three-year enforced absence with the total amount raised being £3157.15.

To add energy to the day, visitors were blessed with performances from diverse bands that provided uplifting entertainment throughout the afternoon.

On the Water Garden, the Rubber Band got the afternoon off to a rip-roaring start, followed by the Austerity Quartet and then local sea shanty ‘kings’, the Last Watch.

There were also performances from local band Jazz Blues Three who serenaded those taking afternoon tea on the Chapel Garden lawn, along with a relaxing session from Pete Langford and Tim Moody.

Mary Corin and Andrew Hill from Sandhill House said: ‘Through local people’s pure generosity we finally broke through the £3,000 ceiling, raising £3157.15 for St Luke’s – that’s over £1,000 per hour!

‘We wish to say an equally huge ‘thank you’ to everyone who gave up their precious time to make the event such a resounding success.

As ever, a brilliant team made it happen on behalf of St Luke’s Hospice, including Sue Crocker who helped organise the event, local volunteers, who made time to make and deliver homemade cakes, marshal a scary number of cars, serve luscious Cornish cream teas, and cakes, and sell raffle tickets, and stunning craft and local produce.

‘We would, as ever, like to say another big ‘thank you’ to our brilliant gardeners, Rob and Jo, who managed to get the gardens ‘on parade’ in time for the big day.’

Organisers expressed a special thanks for the outstanding support from the local community.

Mary and Andrew said: ‘We want to say a massive thank you to our local community which so wholeheartedly supported the event again, creating a truly memorable, enchanting and magical day whilst helping people in their hour of greatest need through St Luke’s Hospice care.’

For more information about the Open Gardens Scheme visit: https://www.stlukes-hospice.org.uk/open-gardens/