Eleven gardens on the New Mills estate will open for one day to show community spirit and support for two charities, close to the heart of residents.

The Henry Boot Home Owners of Wye View, named after the developer, plan to raise funds for St Michael's Hospice and the Air Ambulance through the event on Saturday, July 2, from 2.30pm to 5pm.

Although only eleven householders have chosen to open their gardens to the public, a total of 25 New Mills residents have offered to help with the event, which will feature a tea stall and strawberries and cream on the little green off Wye View.

One resident, Freda Rawle, has a special reason to support St Michael's Hospice, because the charity helped to look after her husband, Geoffrey, who died of cancer last year.

She explained: "My husband came home from the hospice, but still received support from St Michael's Hospice, and also St Katherine's GP surgery."

Wye View resident Jackie Thomson pointed to the prompt arrival of the air ambulance following the recent helicopter crash at Dymock, and said: "It shows the value of such a service."

The open gardens event will also demonstrate the community spirit and love of gardening that has grown up around Wye View in little over four years.

Mrs Thomson, who won the best all-year garden in last year's Ledbury in Bloom competition, said: "Normally, slightly grander gardens are open to the public, but that doesn't have to be.

"When we moved here, we were new houses full of strangers, and the gardens were clay with little grass. Now we can show people what you can do in a relatively short time."

As the gardens have grown and developed, so has the sense of a community.

Mrs Rawle said: "We are starting to get the feeling we can rely on each other."

The ball started rolling with a Golden Jubilee party on the little green, followed by another outdoor party last summer.

Entries to the gardens is by donation of £2.50 for adults. Children will go round free. Dogs will not be allowed.