Bloomin’ Marvellous
To Be Involved
Teams from all parts of the community, including Walkers Snack Foods,
informnorth Creative Services, Finchale College, East Durham and Houghall
Community College, Streetuk North East, Princess Trust, Spring Board,
Youth Offenders, EDF Energy and local residents came forward to offer
their help. The support was widespread and the campaigns attracted
help even as far a field as Alnwick in Northumberland.
Together they all helped transform sparse areas of land, which were
tidied up and planted with colourful bedding plants. Finchale College
made an excellent visual representation 
of
a pit wheel from black and white stones giving a mosaic effect. This
was framed with shrubs and perennials for an evergreen display.
The Princes Trust embedded their symbol with an attractive, colourful
display of white and red flowers. One particular area of Horden, which
had been overgrown and run down for a long period of time, was converted
into a wonderful beach garden with a scenic walk way and a place to
sit and gather thoughts.
A symbolic row of environmentally friendly Rowan Trees were planted
at regular intervals to link the two villages.
The local schools took part in various activities including planting
up their own grounds, litter picking the surrounding areas and attending
the community nursery to plant up the baskets and planters. Cotsford
Infants School made an excellent job of transforming their school
grounds. With the help of staff and parent volunteers who came forward
and produced a beautiful bird garden and secret garden. The school
garden was transformed with the help of local company Plants R Us,
who kindly donated an array of beautiful flowers and bedding plants.
The school grounds are now awash with colour and neatly decorated
with attractive borders and a reward system has been developed where
all of the well behaved children have 'golden time' which is an opportunity
for them to look after the gardens themselves. Carol Rowe from the
school commented how overwhelming the response has been to the campaign.
"The parents really got to know each other over the two day period
and many new friendships have been formed. The community spirit is
now raging and many residents remarked how it has reminded them of
'the good old days'. The children are taking pride in their gardens
and there is a noticeable decrease in litter on and around the school
grounds and there have been no reports of vandalism in the area."
The roles of the volunteers have been wide and varied for example,
an area co-coordinator would drum up support in their specific area,
knocking on the doors of houses of residents that had not replied
to the questionnaires to ask if they would like to take part and volunteer
their help or indeed would like some help in their own garden. Residents
were asked if they would like a planter or a hanging basket and if
would they like help fixing the baskets bracket to the wall.
Volunteer drivers were also enlisted to distribute plants, tools,
tubs and hanging baskets and many residents came forward to volunteer
their help with litter picking, helping a neighbour with their garden,
replacing broken glass, planting new areas within their street or
generally tidying up any eyesore. Large cast iron planters and hanging
baskets were installed on the streets of the two villages. Volunteers
planted these with beautiful flowers over the two days too.
Anyone who volunteered was asked to tidy their own small area, either
out in the streets or in gardens. If there was a community plant bed
being planned in their area then they were asked to help plant this
and remove any weeds in the area, pick up litter or distribute the
hanging baskets and tubs to homes. This took a huge amount of time
and effort.
During the event in 2005, one particularly large group put in a tremendous
effort at the site of an old garage and filling station, situated
predominately on Horden’s main through road. The area had become
a haven for litter and dirt and was a real eyesore. The team, which
included members of the local community both young and old as well
as people from the local support network, spent from dawn until dusk
tidying the area. The landscaping team also helped remove many bags
of rubbish and dirt. The end result was amazing and was an achievement
for all involved to be proud of.
Informnorth Creative Services fielded a team two days over the 2006
campaign. The first day was spent digging over and replanting a dilapidated
flower bed. What once had been a beautiful display had become overgrown
with weeds and freckled with litter and rubbish. The team replaced
the original display with a new colourful arrangement. The local school
helped by providing refreshments in the hot summer heat and the local
parish council helped remove rubbish accumilated and deliver plants
for the bed.
