Winston Churchill Memorial Garden project
Winston Churchill Memorial Garden is a public park located at the end of the Lower High Street. It is a space of significant biodiversity value, due to its collection of mature trees and perennial scheme planted in 2018. There was an opportunity here to create habitats which would otherwise be more challenging to create in the centre of town, such as orchard and long grass/meadow creation.
With the help of European Regional Development Funding we were able to enhance biodiversity even more on this site as part of the Habitat Cheltenham project.
In 2019 we engaged with stakeholders including Cheltenham West End Partnership and Friends of Winston Churchill Memorial Garden to agree how the funding could be used to increase biodiversity in the park. It was agreed that the southern entrance to Market Street should be the area of focus for biodiversity improvement.
The proposed works included the creation of wildflower meadows with the support of Glorious Cotswold Grasslands-Cotswolds National Landscape who supplied a mix of locally harvested and local provenance perennial and annual native species, providing a significant boost to supporting wildlife in the park and enhancing local biodiversity.
Wildflower meadow
In the first quarter of 2021 we were able to plant the community orchard with rare local, historical Gloucestershire varieties of fruit trees sourced with local provenance from the Gloucestershire Orchard Trust. The Trust, the leading charity dedicated to the conservation and celebration of traditional orchards in Gloucestershire, was instrumental in the selection of 17 apple, 12 plum and 7 pear trees. Fruit tree species are especially good at supporting a wide range of insect species, small mammals and birds and of course provide a colourful spring blossom.
The council was also able to use existing railings to fashion a new gate, creating an access point for the volunteers when orchard maintenance is required. This gate is also accessible for a wheelchair and wheelbarrow.
More recently the park has seen the renovation of the two raised beds at the entrance to the High Street. With the help of volunteers, these beds have received new trees, shrubs and bulbs, bringing all year interest, increased habitat and improved biodiversity.
With the support of Gloucestershire Orchard Trust, the council’s townscape and green space development teams are pleased to have completed another stage of this fantastic project.
Get in touch
If you have any questions or comments, or would like to get involved in our projects, please email townscape@cheltenham.gov.uk
Stakeholders and partners
Stakeholders include: CBC trees department, CBC green space development, Cheltenham West End Partnership, Friends of Winston Churchill Memorial Garden and Honeybourne Line North, and ward councillors.
Downloads
- Download the infographic which outlines key parts of the project.
- Engagement boards