Hollickwood's Happy Hedge Muswell Hill

Our very own Tim has designed 8 ideas (the above picture is just one of them) which will be built by the Hollickwood Primary kids. Each is amazing in it's own right and will certainly fulfil the needs of the happiest hedge in London. Apologies if this plan has been taking a long time to form, but we had many different ideas and we wanted to make sure that the one we chose was the most optimal one. Not just for the kids but for the school as well. Wishing you all a lovely autumn, please come and visit the Wild Garden to see how the pond and other projects are coming on. All the very best, Diana

We are now well and truly in the "delivery stage" of the HAPPY HEDGE. It sounds official and a little bit cool at the same time. Big thanks to everyone who is helping out behind the scenes and to YOU our fantastic contributors who have made this possible. What we’ve achieved so far: - The frogs & tadpoles are swimming in a temporary pond and will pretty soon be safe in the new pond with the new shiny lining. We are going to need parents help on the 12th of May for the finishing touches. BIG SHOUT OUT to all the children who helped transferring the critters to their new temporary home. - We’re getting deliveries of garden club supplies! - The garden bed covers are finished by our very own carpenter extraordinaire - Jim Stevenson. How can we make our Hedge Happy? Everyone has been chiming in on how to make the hedge as happy as possible and we have a pretty exciting idea on it’s way. It will include interactive elements and Jim is building a prototype right now. I’m excited to see the results! As we’ve all noticed, we have a bit of a littering problem outside the hedge. So what we want to encourage is for the community to stop littering and dog foul outside the school. We are going to make sure the front of the school reflects the school community values. Do you want to help? Whether you’d like to sow seeds, have ideas for the hedge or just want to learn more? Please feel free to get in touch with me. There will be a few more updates these following months. So watch this space, and if you want to get more pics and see how we are doing more frequently, please check out the Friends of Hollickwood Facebook page. Very best, Diana

This is only the beginning. As I’m writing this, the pledges are being collected via Paypal & GoCardless. Thank you so much to each of you who pledged and/or showed your support in other ways. If I don’t know you personally, please do not hesitate to come and say hello, whether on social media or in real life. I will announce a proper action plan in January. Anyone who wishes to contribute in any way please contact me. It can be gardening, artistic, practical or advice. This was always meant to be a community project. We are only temporary keepers of Hollickwood. I’m very glad that I can support Linden’s legacy in the PTA, which includes something most London kids do not have access to - nature. Let’s restore our wild garden, make proper use of it this spring and create something magnificent on the hedge. Competition still open, by the way! Please follow the updates at www.facebook.com/friendsofhollickwood where the winners of the raffle will be announced on this Sunday at 7 pm. There will be more gardening, Xmas celebrations & other community-related stuff on there too so make sure you pop in every now and again to give us a like. A special thank you to the following local businesses for their extraordinary support: Sunshine Garden Centre Sultan Decorators Ltd Jim Stevenson (Carpenter) Kay & Kompany Finally thanks to all of those who gave little but from the heart. Each pledge will blossom in the wild garden this spring. I'm attaching a video from last weeks gardening club. I hope it will work! Very best, Diana Twitter: @voxerbrant @thestorydesk Instagram: @thestorydesk @thesultansofmuswellhill P.S. If you are one of the anonymous pledgers, please tell me as I would love to say thank you. I won’t tell a soul, I promise!

Our little school has reached its funding goal! Now we can save our frogs & create our Happy Hedge. Every pledge, from the £2 ones to the £725 one, have made me all warm & fuzzy inside. I will write a more coherent message in the next few days together with raffle prizes. In the meantime, please accept a humongous THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart. Watch this space! Love, Diana

Hollickwood is very close to getting our happy hedge and saving our frogs. Thank you for taking part in this journey up until now. Your pledges mean the world to us. Here are three ways you can help us get that last little bit (because if we don't we won't get a penny). 1. Pledge some more. But don't worry if you can't because... 2. You can ask grandma to challenge her IT skills and pledge (or anyone who will feel all warm and fuzzy inside when we make this a reality). 3. DRAW - tomorrow I will start posting the submitted children's drawings on Facebook. Just draw what would make our hedge happier? Simple, right? (Don't worry, the kids will get it.) I'm wishing you all a lovely Sunday! Diana

Wow! Everybody kept telling me that it would not be possible yet here we are... almost there! £2,620 pledged of £3,163 I feel like going around giving everyone a hug. Perhaps that is why some people pledge anonymously? Can we make it all the way to our goal by Monday midnight? I am gathering loads of prizes, so for every time, you pledge you get another raffle ticket (unless you are anonymous then you will have to come to me to get that hug). So far we have vouchers from Clarks and Kay & Kompany , a wonderful children's book, sweets and I know several local businesses who are just trying to figure out what to donate. Some of it will be available on our Friends of Hollickwood Facebook page. This is a perfect opportunity to promote our wonderful school. Also, let's not forget the frogs. Today we planted the bulbs donated from the Garden Centre and I can tell you first hand that the children thought it was so much fun. We all learned that Daffodils like to be deep and the kids loved getting their hands on some tools. A great big thank to Barnet Together Fund for their juicy pledge yesterday. We can do it! Thank you to all of you. Even the smallest of pledges make a difference. Diana