Free rain garden workshop for charities, social enterprises and businesses keen to boost their flood resilience and encourage biodiversity

Rain gardens and smaller scale rain planters are just two possible elements of what’s known as a sustainable drainage system.

They mimic natural processes to filter, slow and store rainwater, as well as looking attractive and providing valuable habitats for birds, insects and other wildlife.

Those who attend the one-day workshop, which will be led by Wendy Allen, a garden and sustainable drainage consultant, and John Little of the Grass Roof Company, will learn how to plan, construct and install a small, do-it-yourself rain garden and rain planter.

It’s aimed at representatives of charities, social enterprises and businesses who are interested in installing rain gardens on their premises, as well as businesses working in the construction, landscaping or gardening sectors that would like to be able to offer a rain garden installation service to their customers.

Sam Ramsden of the Flood Innovation Centre said: “The workshop will offer an insight into rain gardens and rain planters as creative and easily achievable sustainable drainage solutions that slow down the rate of surface water run-off, helping to reduce the risk of flooding.

“Wendy and John will explain how to assess a site and demonstrate proven, easy-to-replicate methods of making a small-scale rain garden and rain planter.

"They’ll also make suggestions about suitable plants and planting materials to withstand both flood and drought conditions, and look at what can be learnt from brownfield sites and wild landscapes when creating rain gardens in urban environments.”

The free, day-long workshop, which will take place at the Aura Innovation Centre which is based in Bridgehead Park in Hessle, East Yorkshire on Tuesday 8 November, includes a networking lunch. This will be followed by a visit to two local community gardens, where Wendy and John will discuss practical examples of how to implement the training.

Anyone with an interest in attending is asked to visit the Flood Innovation Centre website to register their interest: https://floodinnovation.co.uk/events/rain-gardens-workshop-managing-surface-water-and-biodiversity/. The Flood Innovation Centre team will then contact them with further information and details of how to register for support.

The Flood Innovation Centre is funded to provide support to eligible charities, social enterprises and businesses in the following local authority areas: Allerdale, Barnsley, Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn with Darwen, Blackpool, Boston, Burnley, Cannock Chase, Carlisle, Chorley, Copeland, County Durham, Darlington, Doncaster, East Devon, East Lindsey, East Riding of Yorkshire, East Staffordshire, Eden, Exeter, Fylde, Hartlepool, Hyndburn, Kingston upon Hull, Knowsley, Lancaster, Lichfield, Lincoln, Liverpool, Mid Devon, Middlesbrough, Newcastle-under-Lyme, North Devon, North East Lincolnshire, North Kesteven, North Lincolnshire, Pendle, Plymouth, Preston, Redcar and Cleveland, Ribble Valley, Rossendale, Rotherham, Sefton, Sheffield, Shropshire, South Hams, South Holland, South Kesteven, South Lakeland, South Ribble, South Staffordshire, St. Helens, Stafford, Staffordshire Moorlands, Stockton-on-Tees, Stoke-on-Trent, Tamworth, Teignbridge, Telford and Wrekin, Torbay, Torridge, West Devon, West Lancashire, West Lindsey, Wirral and Wyre.