About the Friends

The Friends of Emsworth Memorial Garden (FEMG) was set up in February 2007 with the aim of completing the Memorial Garden and helping with its maintenance. Members of the group are involved in a variety of activities, including designing the Memorial Garden, fund raising, publicity and holding regular work sessions to maintain and develop the garden. FEMG is affiliated to Hampshire Gardens Trust (HGT), and insured through the Association of Garden Trusts which gives cover for work sessions and fund raising events. The committee consists of local residents, some of whom are also members of Emsworth Horticultural Society (EHS).

Volunteers: Regular work sessions are held in the Garden on the second Monday of the month at 10am, lasting about 2 hours. Most tools are provided. Help is especially needed with the Garden and general maintenance.

Regular events include a stall at the Emsworth Show on August bank holiday Monday; Armistice Day ceremony in the Memorial Garden at 11 a.m. on 11 November and an AGM in March.

Funding: FEMG has been successful in obtaining funding amounting to £10,000 from Awards for All (Big Lottery) which paid for all the hard and soft landscaping. Funding for the memorial name plaques made by Tealwoods, an Emsworth company, came from a Grassroots grant of £5,000 and a £2,000 donation from Co-operative Funeral Directors. Generous donations have also been received from the EBA, ERA, EHS, Wednesday Group and HGT as well as from local residents.

Special Thanks are due to the EHS for all their support, both financial and moral. And especially to Sarah Sanderson for designing the Garden to give year round interest.

Membership: We are very keen to involve as many people as possible in the group. Residents and visitors of Emsworth are encouraged to join the ‘Friends’ whether or not they are able to assist in the activities listed above. Your support alone is very much appreciated. The annual subscription is

£3 per person but extra donations are very welcome. Members receive regular news up- dates about the activities of the ‘Friends’.

The objectives of FEMG are:

To improve and maintain the Emsworth Memorial Garden located on the SE corner of Emsworth Diamond Jubilee Recreation Ground (known locally as Emsworth Recreation Ground).
To commission and erect within the Emsworth Memorial Garden, Memorial Plaques recording the names of those Emsworth residents whose sacrifice is recognized and remembered by the Emsworth Memorial.
To establish and maintain sites for the way-marking sculptures which comprise the Emsworth Memorial Trail.
To provide long-term conservation and management of the Emsworth Memorial Garden and Trail.
To organize and promote gatherings at which members of the public can pay their respects to those who are recognized and remembered by the Emsworth Memorial.

You can read the full constitution here.