Garden open day raises £5,000 for North London Hospice (From Times Series)

Garden open day raises £5,000 for North London Hospice

1:20pm Tuesday 26th June 2012 in News By Katie Dolamore

A Mill Hill resident opened up her beautiful garden to the public last weekend to raise money for the North London Hospice.

Penny Gluckstein, 73, has been cultivating her three acres of plants and flowers for over 45 years.

On Sunday, June 24, she opened her gates to the local community in aid of her chosen charity.

Her garden boasts herbaceous borders, roses, and a lake with colourful koi.

She said: “Despite a few short, sharp showers, around 230 people attended. With help from generous donations, we raised over £3000.”

Visitors were able to enjoy the huge variety of plants and wildlife on show.

Mrs Gluckstein added: “Somebody told me that they loved the casual formality of the garden. I have a lot of wildlife areas now as well as formal clipped areas.”

Mrs Gluckstein is a trustee of the North London Hospice, and she volunteers on the wards. She also founded the Mill Hill support group for the hospice in 1989.

Committee members of the support group helped out on the day by making teas, and selling a selection of homemade cakes and brownies.

The hospice provides specialist palliative care for people with advanced progressive diseases. They are set to open a new day services centre this July in Barrowell Green, Enfield, which will provide closer care to the people living in Enfield, Barnet and north Haringey.