The BGCA was formed in December 2011 following a large public meeting that was called with a view to find ways of helping with the costs of running, and reviving the fortunes of the popular Botanic Gardens, Churchtown, Southport which was suffering from council funding and staff cuts in the trying economic times.
We now have a thriving membership of over 70 volunteers who help in various ways, some physical work in the gardens on general gardens and infrastructure tasks, others help with the organisation of our regular fundraising events and some are just happy to pay a nominal subscription and offer advice etc.
We are guided by our consultation questionnaire which was filled in by over 500 park users in August 2012 asking what they would like to see happen in the gardens and old Museum building, and if they could help.
The Association applied to the Charity Commission to be an official Charitable Incorporated Organisation, this was sanctioned in 2015 which will give us more chances to apply for sizable funding to benefit the gardens.
We operate a Trustees and Committee system with members voted on by subscription paying members only. (Members can choose to be non-subscription if they wish)
We drew up an Aspiration list in 2012 and many items have been achieved, now updated for 2016. Any other suggestions are welcome.