Sr Maureen Elliott FMM work running the maternity and child health programme at the Busholo Health Centre, Ethiopia will be supported with an Open Garden Fundraiser on Mother’s Day Weekend
A laid back day promising good food, lively music and expert gardening advice, taking place this Mother’s Day weekend, promises to be even more than advertised.
The funds raised from the Open Garden Fundraiser will go to support the work of Sr Maureen Elliott FMM who runs the maternity and child health programme at the Busholo Health Centre, Ethiopia.
Expert gardener Tony Williams was particularly moved by the work of Sr Maureen and so has made his beautiful 2 hectare garden available for the event.
Catholic Mission director Francis Leong said the garden was “a stunningly beautiful, large and well-planned garden … We are hoping that people will be moved by the connection between their passion for healthy, vibrant and beautiful gardens, and the spirit of Mother’s Day to care for our planet and for the children suffering because of drought and environmental catastrophe in famine-ravaged Africa,” local Catholic Mission director Francis Leong told The Record.
In addition to maternity services, the Busholo Centre provides other basic health and medical services, including an integrated and sustainable nutrition program and supplementary feeding and kitchen gardens for thousands of nursing mothers and children.
Live instrumental folk and easy listening music will be provided String Tanglers, a local Catholic string quintet featuring The Record’s very own Peter Rosengren on the mandolin doing the odd jig or two. The Catholic Women’s League and St Francis Xavier Parish Pastoral Team will be providing tea, coffee, homemade cakes and slices for sale in very genteel surroundings.
A host of gardening experts have given up their time in support of Sr Maureen’s work, to give public talks in their respective area of expertise. They include Chris Ferreia from the Great Gardens Program who will talk from 11am on the Saturday, and Bob Melville, from Melville Nurseries, who will talk from 11am and 1.30pm on the Sunday. Dan the Bee Man from the WA Apiarist Society will be talking from 2pm on both days.
The property has wide brick pathways for easy pedestrian and wheelchair access throughout the whole garden. A large undercover outdoor area together with a pavilion with “amazing views” to various parts of the garden is on hand in the event of inclement weather.
The entrance fee is $5 per person, payable at the gate. The event will run on both days (Saturday 12 – Sunday 13) from 10am to 4pm at 233 Foxton Drive in Oakford, 5 minutes off the Kwinana Freeway via the Rowley Road exit.
For more information: 9422 7933 or email cm@perthcatholic.org.au.