Martineau Gardens, a Therapeutic Community Garden in Edgbaston, Birmingham is on the shortlist to win a share of Persimmon Homes’ Building Futures £1million pot supporting under-18s nationwide but first they need online votes to win.

Persimmon Homes West Midlands is backing Martineau Gardens to be a prize winner in October, where cash awards of £100,000, £50,000 or £20,000 will be made to those winning the most online votes.

Tim Bruton representing Martineau Gardens said: “It is a huge achievement to have been selected as a regional finalist, but now we really need people to get behind us and get voting so that we are in the strongest possible position to earn one of the top three cash awards on the night.

We have an excellent Environmental Education programme and thousands of family visits each year. If we are fortunate enough to win the public vote we will be able to build a dedicated classroom and improve the children’s play area to enhance the natural play experience.”

Tim added: “Voting could not be simpler. Just log on to www.persimmonhomes.com/building-futures/finalists and select Martineau Gardens and vote for us. We would really appreciate everyone’s support. Please vote as often as you can.”

Building Futures is being delivered through the Persimmon Charitable Foundation. Through the scheme, a total of 128 grants of £1,000 have been awarded to groups supporting sport, education & arts and health across Persimmon’s 31 regional businesses and its head office.

Persimmon Homes is an official partner of Team GB and the Persimmon Charitable Commission enlisted the help of athletes Jason Kenny and Laviai Nielsen to help determine the three regional finalists for each business division.

One initiative from each category will go on to win £100,000 each through a national award scheme to be decided by a public vote.

As well as the £100,000 first prize, there will be a £50,000 second prize and a £20,000 third prize in each sector; while a further 87 shortlisted projects will each receive £5,000.

Online voting opened on 27 July and will close at midnight on 18 September 2020.