More than $19,000 raised for owners of Owys Garden in Glen Iris after nursery severely damaged by freak storm

A Glen Iris nursery severely damaged by Saturday night’s storm event has received an outpouring of public support. Owys Garden at Moorland Avenue has been closed after strong winds at the weekend resulted in six of its eight hothouses being destroyed and other parts of the nursery damaged. But community members have been rolling up their sleeves to help with the cleanup, while also providing financial contributions as the family-owned business tries to rebuild. In a post on social media, owner Benjamin Parry said they were “incredibly thankful” for the community support. “To all the people who just rocked up (on Sunday) ready to help, thank you so much,” he said. “We’re certainly feeling the love.” Work by the public has helped make the nursery walkable again, but the damage does remain extensive. With the family needing to maintain an income while they look at rebuilding, Mr Parry set up a GoFundMe on Sunday. By Wednesday morning, more than $19,600 had been raised from 244 donations. Mr Parry said he had been “super overwhelmed” by the response. “Every single comment, share, donation and every pair of hands are so much appreciated — I can’t even put it into words,” he said. “We’ve got a lot of work to do over the next month or two.” Mr Parry has set a fundraising goal of $100,000 for donations, while those seeking to help out with the clean-up are asked to arrive via Barker Boulevard due to damage to Moorland Avenue. To donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/help-owys-family-live-while-we-get-the-nursery-sorted