Kate Johnson

So today we've got opening of our community show gardens,

We've got 10 different organisations from all across Liverpool city region, we've got people from schools, people from wellbeing initiatives, we've got Woodlands Hospice, South East Squads, so lots and lots of different organisations who've all come together to stage their own show gardens in the beautiful Palm House and really celebrate the power of plants and try and get people outdoors and connecting to nature and all of those things.

Really?

They have.

So it's amazing when you think that people have all got the same plot, small plot, and they've made something absolutely incredible that really tells their own story.

So lots of young people have been involved, telling stories about what things mean to them, what well-being means to them, and really raising the profile of their own organisations as well.

It's really showing what can be achieved through gardening and planting.

And really, we're so proud of that in terms of our mission, you know, getting people to root for people, plants and place like people coming together in this gorgeous place.

making connections with each other but also like creating something so wonderful for other people to enjoy you said people plant some place that's core to everything that you're about absolutely that idea of place you know it's a massive jewel in the crown of south liverpool the palm house so this is here until the 21st of june but the palm house is here here all year round it is it absolutely is and you know the palm house is something that belongs to the people of liverpool it was

saved 25 years ago from dereliction people will remember it being a derelict building in Sefton Park and today when you look at it flourishing with all these people enjoying it you know we're so proud of what the palm house is today and the fact that it was saved from dereliction for us all to enjoy and really this these show gardens are a real like feature of our anniversary program so it's a real celebration and we're just so proud of it.

The Olympics has always served as a touchpoint for me to reflect on just how quickly our world changes.

Think about it.

Every four years, the Summer Olympics shine a massive spotlight on how much our technology evolves between the games.

So I want you to take a minute and picture yourself in the year 2004.

Try to remember the world back then.

We didn't have iPhones.

The Facebook, as it was originally known, was just emerging on college campuses, and YouTube, it wasn't a thing.

I competed at the Athens 2004 Olympics in women's rowing, which may as well have been the ancient Olympics as far as technology goes.

I was still using a flip phone, and I sent my friends and family email updates from the games using my Hotmail account and dial-up internet.

So now I want you to imagine what it was like to win the first US Olympic medal in the event in 20 years.