£5,000 Bursary Available for Aspiring Horticulturists in Cornwall

Cornwall Garden Society Invites Applications for Pat and Margaret Wells Bursary Fund

Horticulture students, apprentices, and working gardeners across Cornwall are being encouraged to apply for the 2024/2025 round of the Pat and Margaret Wells Bursary, offering up to £5,000 in financial support. The bursary, managed by the Cornwall Garden Society (CGS) on behalf of Clare, Helen, and Brendan Wells, is available to anyone studying or intending to study horticulture in Cornwall, either full-time, part-time, or through apprenticeships and other related employment.

The bursary honours the memory of Pat and Margaret Wells, both passionate gardeners who, despite their love for horticulture, were unable to study it formally. The fund aims to help others in Cornwall pursue their horticultural dreams, covering expenses such as course fees, travel costs, and other study or work-related expenditures.

Application Details

Applicants must submit their forms by 9am on Wednesday, 30th October 2024. The application process involves completing a simple online form where applicants need to summarise their qualifications, experience, current occupation, and the financial support required along with its intended use.

No single grant will exceed £2,000, and successful applicants will be notified in November, with the bursaries being awarded in December to be used during the following year.

Application Form

Remembering Pat and Margaret Wells

Pat Wells, described as a gifted amateur with an artist’s eye for blooms, and Margaret Wells, an experienced horticulturist who transformed barren earth into award-winning gardens, were both dedicated members of the gardening community. Margaret was a CGS member from 1978 until her passing in 2018 and received numerous accolades, including the Knibbs Memorial Cup at the CGS Spring Flower Show in 1981 and 1982, and recognition from Kerrier District Council for her garden at Little Antron in Mabe Burnthouse.

“This bursary has been established to support anyone who faces disadvantage in the pursuit of a career in horticulture, for whatever reason,” explained CGS Chairman, Martin Petherick. “We are immensely grateful to Clare, Helen, and Brendan Wells for their generosity in establishing this bursary in memory of their mothers.”

Photo Credit: Clare, Helen and Brandan Wells

Helping Cornwall’s Future Gardeners

Clare Wells, speaking on behalf of her family, shared that their mothers, born in the 1920s, never had the opportunity to study horticulture themselves. The family established this bursary to assist budding gardeners in Cornwall, covering a wide range of horticultural-related expenses.

The 2023/2024 bursary cycle supported various costs, including travel expenses, equipment, and qualifications for professional tree-felling and chainsaw management. The family is now looking forward to reviewing applications for the 2024/2025 cycle and hopes that many aspiring gardeners from across the Duchy will apply.

For more information and to apply, visit the Cornwall Garden Society website.