For the past 13 years the RC of Horbury and Ossett Phoenix have utilised Carr Lodge Park, Horbury, as the venue for their annual Horbury Show fund raising event. Each year the club has put a good deal of effort into ensuring the park was clean and tidy both before and after the event and have been assisted by both the Wakefield Local Authority and the group Friends of Horbury Park. As a club we felt that we would like to put a little bit more back into the park and so in 2008 looked for a suitable project. Our immediate idea was to bring an abandoned walled garden back into community use and so we approached the Local authority who were reluctant to let us loose on such a big project, partly because they wanted to check our ability to deliver and also because of ongoing concerns about the sale of a grade 2 listed mansion within the park to which the walled garden is connected. Whilst disappointed we agreed to take on a smaller project which was to replace existing but exhausted rose beds with 3 new herbaceous beds, and replant another one with bedding plants.

From our first approach of the Local Authority in early November 2008 it took until mid March to get the go ahead. By the end of March all three new herbaceous beds had been created and two rose beds had been cleared (one for annual planting - the other was turfed with grass removed from the herbaceous bed. Manure was provided from a local farm with the help of Mike Smith of the Friends of Carr Lodge Park. All the heavy was digging was carried out by Phoenix Club members. We were ready for planting in mid April. The Local Authority provided a planting plan but due to budgetary delays were unable to place an order for the plants until late April with a predicted delivery towards the end of May - the Local Authority are paying two thirds of the cost of the herbaceous plants and we are paying for all other planting from our charity funds (some of the proceeds of Horbury Show). The bedding plants, mainly marigolds, are being grown by club members.

The planting out of the beds is to be carried out by Rotarians with the support and involvement of a local disability group, local girl guides, children from Horbury Primary School, and members of the Friends of Carr Lodge Park group.

The delays from the Local Authority have been quite frustrating and could easily put people off getting involved with a partnership approach to a project like this, but we remain committed to the task, and are planning the planting of bulbs and aubretia at the foot of a Ha Ha style wall at the front of the Carr Lodge Mansion in the Autumn when we will also clear the bedding plants out and renew with winter flowering bedding and remove the remaining rose beds after their final season of flowering.

As a club we intend to pursue the potential refurbishment and bringing back into use of the walled garden and will be looking to the Local authority for a more open agenda as to the future of the walled garden and a positive approach to progressing the matter.