(From left to right) Tom Hill, Chief Executive of Helen & Douglas House, Lorrie Robertson, Marketing Director of The Garden Centre Group, Richard Jackson, Chairman of Greenfingers and Stephen Pitcher, Purchasing Director of The Garden Centre Group, looking at the plans for the garden at Douglas House Hospice

The Garden Centre Group helps Douglas House Hospice

We are pleased to announce that Greenfingers has recently started the first phase in transforming the garden at Douglas House Hospice in Oxford, thanks to all of the generous donations from staff and customers at our garden centres who have helped raise more than £32,000.

We are delighted we have been able to raise so much money for Greenfingers so they can create the garden. Since the beginning of the year we have hosted fundraising events and sold raffle tickets for the 'Greatest Gardening Raffle Ever' and are now aiming to raise enough money by the end of the year to fund another garden for the charity.

Greenfingers, which is our 'Charity of the Year', is THE charity of the gardening industry and, with the support of growers, retailers, manufacturers and celebrities, it has created 30 magical gardens at children's hospices all over the UK with more planned in the future.

The hospice garden, designed by garden designer Clare Matthews, will include a chill-out area offering private and social space for teenagers and young adults. There will also be a water feature, a copper memory vine and a semi-circular wooden building with seating and electrics for laptops and music.

Within the garden there will be shaped raised beds to encourage participation, even for patients in wheelchairs. Other design features include circular paving, sensory plants and plenty of places to sit.

Tom Hill, Chief Executive of Helen & Douglas House, said: "We would like to thank Greenfingers as well as staff and customers at The Garden Centre Group who have raised funds for the new garden.

"Greenfingers helped us with the makeover of the garden at Helen House, our children's hospice, three years ago and having seen how much it is enjoyed by them and their families I know what a difference a similar transformation at Douglas House will make to the young adults who come here."

Helen & Douglas House provides respite, emergency and end of life care for children and young people with life-shortening conditions, as well as support and friendship for the whole family.