Garden Tales at Hodsock Press Release - Fanshawe Gate Hall

Press release3 rd February 2010Hodsock Priory to host ‘Garden Tales’ book signingFriday 19 th February 2010, Hodsock Priory, Blyth, NottinghamshireTwo of the East Midland’s most popular private gardens will join forces onFriday 19 th February when Hodsock Priory welcomes the owners ofFanshawe Gate Hall in Derbyshire for a special book signing event. Awardwinninggardener Cynthia Ramsden’s latest book, ‘Garden Tales’, has beenwritten to benefit the National Gardens Scheme (NGS) which promotes theenjoyment of beautiful gardens such as those at Hodsock Priory andFanshawe Gate Hall.Hodsock, famous for its snowdrop displays and woodland walks, opensthroughout February whilst visitors to Fanshawe Gate bask in glorioussummer sun amongst the roses. Cynthia relies heavily on a small army ofover 40 volunteers to receive hundreds of garden visitors in the open season.As a follow-up to her first book, ‘A Garden in my Life’ (2001), she has written‘Garden Tales’ to chronicle the lives and loves of her willing helpers whoinclude gardeners, designers, builders, artists, volunteers and visitors. In thebook they talk about their own lives and what brings them back to the Hallyear after year. Jean Thorpe is a retired teacher who used gardens andnature as a way of inspiring her pupils. She volunteered to help and foundherself on the kitchen team. “There’s a special magic about Fanshawe Gate.People get so much pleasure from Cynthia’s garden, and from eating thedelicious cakes. It’s a winner for everyone, the charities and the visitors.”

One of the NGS charities to benefit from the sales of ‘Garden Tales’ is MarieCurie Cancer Care, whose regional Patron is Sir Andrew Buchanan ofHodsock Priory. He has shared many gardening tips with Cynthia over theyears and is delighted to support her efforts.“Opening our respective gardens under the National Gardens Scheme is areal privilege but does require an enormous amount of hard work behind thescenes,” says Sir Andrew. “Cynthia’s account of all this effort has beencaptured in this beautifully illustrated book which is a delight to read. Knowingthat Marie Curie Cancer Care will also benefit from book sales is a very goodreason to join us at the book signing in February.”Cynthia is looking forward to her visit to Hodsock Priory: “Although I expect tobe busy talking to visitors on the 19 th , I am also hoping to tour the Hodsockgrounds for inspiration. We open our gardens to give pleasure, to provideplaces of refuge or recovery from illness and to support the charities we valueso much.”ENDSCynthia Ramsden will be signing her book at Hodsock Priory between 11:00 –15:00 on 19 th February.A wide range of press/web quality photography is available to view atwww.fanshawegate.comPlease acknowledge Mark Ramsden, GrafikaLtd as photographerPress enquiries to Louise Third, IntegraCommunications: 0115 912 4350 / 07773 288342.1. Garden Tales R.R.P £16.99. (chequespayable to Grafika Limited)Order line: 01629 813300

Post: Grafika Limited,Riverside Studio,Riverside Business Park,Buxton Road,Bakewell DE45 1GSOnline at www.fanshawegate.com2. About the author:Cynthia was born in1930 in Dronfield, Derbyshire and trained in domesticscience in Sheffield. She married John Ramsden in 1952 and moved toFanshawe Gate Hall, Holmesfield in 1959 with her young family. Cynthiamanaged to combine her gardening and charitable work with raising fivechildren, and concentrated on garden development once they had all lefthome.In 1997 Cynthia was diagnosed with oesophageal cancer, underwent majorsurgery and was declared clear of the cancer the following year. She took upwalking as part of her recuperation.At the age of 68 (1999) Cynthia and fellow walker Jack Thompson (72)trained for the ascent of Mont Blanc and set-off on the climb in August thatyear. Heavy storms thwarted their attempt on the summit but between themthey raised over £10,000 for cancer charities.In 2001 Cynthia published her first book ‘A Garden in my Life’ which raised afurther £8,000.Cynthia and John Ramsden have opened Fanshawe Gate Hall garden forcharity since the early 1990s. In Feb 2009, Cynthia was awarded theNational Gardens Scheme medal for Exceptional Service.In September 2009, Cynthia will publish her second book, ‘Garden Tales’.Profits will once again go to the cancer charities associated with the NGSand Fanshawe Gate Hall.3. About Hodsock PrioryHodsock Priory and gardens is at the centre of the 800-acre Hodsock Estate,owned by the Buchanan family since 1765. The house itself is not open to thepublic, but the gardens and woods are open to visitors every February duringthe snowdrop season.Hodsock Priory is an approved location for the holding of weddings.Tel 01909 591204 or 07793 314 306 Email gb@hodsockpriory.comwww.snowdrops.co.uk or www.hodsockpriory.com4. About Marie Curie Cancer CareMedia enquiries: Contact Sue Rowlett on 0115 9382626 orsue.rowlett@mariecurie.org.uk

Marie Curie Cancer Care is one of the UK’s largest charities. Employingmore than 2,700 nurses, doctors and other healthcare professionals, itexpects to provide care to around 29,000 terminally ill patients in thecommunity and in its hospices this year and is the largest provider of hospicebeds outside the NHS.Marie Curie NursesThe charity is best known for its network of Marie Curie Nurses working inthe community to provide end-of-life care, totally free for patients in their ownhomes. There are 36 Marie Curie Nurses working in the Nottinghamshirearea. Last year Marie Curie Nurses provided more than 21,000 hours ofnursing care in Nottinghamshire – providing care for more than 350terminally ill people.FundingFunding is in partnership with the NHS. The Marie Curie NottinghamshireNursing Appeal needs to raise £316,000 to match the funding from the NHS.ResearchThe charity has two centres for palliative care research, The Marie CuriePalliative Care Unit in London and The Marie Curie Palliative Care Institute inLiverpool. It also runs the world-renowned Marie Curie Research Institute,which investigates the causes and treatments of cancer.5. About the National Gardens SchemeFounded in 1927, The NGS has raised more than £25 million for charity inthe last 10 years. Copies of The National Gardens Scheme Yellow Book2010 are now available from all major bookshops. Further information atwww.ngs.org.uk