Saturday, 20th April 2013
Caversham Court ~ Bean Pole Day

This was the fourth year that Econet had held this event in support of National Bean Pole Week. The event not only aims at promoting locally grown woodland products but also encouraging wildlife friendly gardening, this year with an emphasis on the importance of bees. To this end stalls included Reading and District Beekeepers not only selling honey but also providing information about bees and beekeeping and Reading Friends of the Earth promoting FoE's BeeCause campaign while those selling plants highlighted those which were 'bee friendly'.

Of course before you can have a Bean Pole Day you must have some bean poles!

Blue skies and sunshine - we could not believe our luck when cold, dull and windy had so far been the norm for the year.

The event was well supported by a wide variety of groups. These included:

   BBOWT
   Christine Brewster, Willow Weaver
   Five a Day Market Garden
   Friends of Caversham Court
   Friends of the Harris Garden
   Reading and District Beekeepers
   Reading and District Natural History Society
   Reading Friends of the Earth
   Reading RSPB
   RISC/Food4Families
   The Conservation Volunteers
   Tilehurst Horticultural Association
   Traidcraft
   Ways and Means (Greenshoots)

We would like to thank all the groups who attended the event and our own volunteers who helped both with the preparation and on the day, in particular Tricia and Judith whose tireless efforts made it possible. Thanks also to Farmer & Dyer, Estate and Letting Agents of Caversham who kindly sponsored the event.

But most of all we would like to thank the members of the public who came along on the day and whose support made it all worthwhile.

Press coverage:
getreading - 17th April
Reading Post - 24th April
Midweek Chronicle - 1st May