Advolly has been a long-term supporter of Village Water, having been the voice in some of our videos, guest speaker at our 20th Anniversary Celebration in 2024, and speaking for us on The Radio 4 Charity Appeal in 2021. 

Village Water is thrilled to announce Advolly Richmond as new Ambassador. Advolly is a plants, gardens and social historian based in Shrewsbury, Shropshire (where Village Water’s office is based). A fellow of the Linnean Society, she is also a Champion for the Royal Botanic Gardens Kew. She lectures and writes on a range of historic subjects from the 16th to the 20th century and is currently teaching A Social and Cultural History of Italian Renaissance Gardens at the Department for Continuing Education at the University of Oxford. Advolly’s new book ‘A Short History of Flowers: The stories that make our gardens,’ was published in March 2024. She also contributes garden history features on BBC’s Gardener’s World, writes for Scribehound Gardening and produces ‘The Garden History Podcast.’

Advolly grew up in Zimbabwe and has memories of fetching water with her aunt when she was a girl. This first-hand experience gives Advolly a clear understanding of the challenges faced by people in rural Zambia and Mozambique accessing clean water and inspires her to be committed to achieve long-lasting change and support rural communities with integrated safe water, sanitation and hygiene education.