North East Lincolnshire Council is wishing the area’s In Bloom groups all the best as they gather for the annual regional awards.
In Bloom volunteers spend hundreds of hours working to improve their local area, by taking ownership of public spaces, boosting civic pride and creating a cleaner, greener, healthier environment.
Everyone benefits from their work, from businesses and local people to visitors and wildlife.
In Bloom groups are encouraged to work together with their local council, businesses, schools and community groups to help transform their area.
Grimsby is hosting the East Midlands in Bloom annual awards on Wednesday 22 September.
Representatives from Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Northamptonshire, Rutland and Greater Lincolnshire will gather at the Town Hall to celebrate their achievements.
Cllr Stewart Swinburn, portfolio holder for Environment and Transport at North East Lincolnshire Council and Vice President of East Midlands in Bloom, said:
“North East Lincolnshire is a better place because of the efforts of the area’s In Bloom volunteers.
“I wish all the groups the best of luck in the upcoming awards and would like to thank them for attracting the presentation event to Great Grimsby.
“We are lucky to have several active groups in the area who work tirelessly to improve their local environment and build civic pride.
“From improved health and wellbeing to a sense of achievement and improving your community’s surroundings, there are many benefits to joining a group.
“They are always looking for volunteers so please contact a group near you and help make a difference.”
North East Lincolnshire’s In Bloom Groups include:
Grimsby in Bloom
Contact: Elaine Atkinson (Chair) [email protected] or 07982 657439
Grimsby in Bloom have been running since 2006 and have in this time achieve gold standard on numerous occasions. We do this by actively involving the community in what we do.
We took over the old bowling green pavilion in the Duke of York gardens six years ago and in this time we have secured funding to run a small café for the benefit of the park users and local residents. We built a workshop which is fully equipped with various hand tools (funded by Wilmott Dixon) for 6 young people to use to learn basic wood working skills.
More recently we secured more funding to build a wooden ‘Garden Room’ which will allow us to offer more space to local groups to use. All this does not deter from our main aims of caring for the environment and improving the vista of Grimsby.
This is done by regular river cleans/litter picks, planting up barrier baskets and planters and encouraging the community to take of their little bit of the town.
We are always looking for volunteers to help with running the café and the gardening side of our activities.
Immingham in Bloom
Contact: Immingham Town Council (01469 727272) or George Fox on 07722 502999
The last year or so have been difficult for Immingham In Bloom and we have seen our volunteer numbers decline to the extent that we now only have about 10 regular volunteers, most of whom are 60+.
Undaunted by this we have strived to continue the task of making Immingham a better place to live, work, and visit through the floral displays around the town. Although we decided to reduce the number of lamppost baskets and barrier baskets this year because of the lack of manpower to water them, we have still planted 15 or so flower beds, a dozen or so boxes, around 20 barrier baskets and eight hanging baskets around the town and in the Civic Precinct.
Through our partnership with Immingham Town Council and with the continued valuable contributions of our numerous sponsors (both individuals and businesses) we hope to maintain the standards that have been set in previous years albeit on a smaller scale. Once again, our local competition where residents, community groups, and commercial properties can enter their gardens, baskets, and floral displays has proved successful.
Great Coates in Bloom
Contact: Mike Stewart (Chair) [email protected]
Great Coates in Bloom have been busy throughout the pandemic maintaining a plethora of colour throughout the village, year-round together with commemorating the Royal British Legion 100, Captain Sir Tom’s charity weekend with features within the village. The village is taking part in the East Midlands In Bloom competition for the first time and hoping to achieve our second award which will be a fantastic achievement having only been operating for three years.
This year we have just completed planting out nearly 1,000 plants in just over 85 planters covering the whole village with 12 specific areas featured along with planting eight different variety of trees supporting the environmental climate challenge helping remove carbon dioxide along with creating wildlife habitat. The small in bloom group spend countless hours each week watering and dead heading these displays for the enjoyment of everybody.
Displays are growing around the village and are not just on the roadside verges, the Great Coates Train station hosts some stunning displays, we even have our very own wooden train and carriages planted creating a focal point in the village. All of which raises the profile of the Great Coates and North East Lincolnshire.
But it not just about flowers brightening up the area we live, care of the environment is also supported by the group, regular litter picks take place throughout village, bug hotels have been built for the benefit of wildlife such as bees and bugs. Information signs, which are placed near the bug hotels, offer learning and therapeutic opportunities for kids and adults.
The group host a Macmillan Cancer Support coffee mornings along with supporting St Nicolas Church Heritage Weekend and Harvest Festival, and the annual scarecrow weekend which is going from strength to strength and generates interest not just from the village but surrounding areas.
Old Clee in Bloom
Contact: Judy Nichols (Chair) [email protected]
Our Journey from 2019. Residents took over the role of caring and watering the lamppost baskets around our area. More than three quarters of them have been, and are, being sponsored by local businesses and residents. We couldn’t begin to do any of this without their support, help and enthusiasm they are amazing. We have provided watering equipment to help where it’s needed.
We also have residents who have taken over caring for the gardens at Old Clee Church Hall. Between them they keep it looking really lovely. Another resident installed a water butt in the garden for us so we can use the captured rain water.
Our first Summer season in 2019 we had 27 lamppost baskets around the area. Unfortunately we can no longer put baskets along part of Clee Crescent due to lampposts being too near to the road edge. Due to Covid in 2020 we thought we wouldn’t be able to have any baskets at all, but we managed to put up 16 for the Summer season as well as Winter ones. Although not quite as stunning they were still well enjoyed.
This Summer 2021 we have been able to put up 19 baskets around the area, I must say they look stunning, thanks to Stallingborough nurseries. Before Covid struck we did regular litter picks, we involved local schools too. All equipment was provided by the Council. Afterward we all went back to mine for refreshments, all good fun. Residents have continued individually collecting rubbish to try to keep our area tidy.
We are hoping to organise community litter picks again in the near future. We have also helped to pay for staggered barriers at the bottom of Church Lane to help prevent anti social behaviour. These were paid for by Old Clee In Bloom and OCRAG. Residents have also painted off graffiti on the NTL boxes in the area, and cleaned signage. Hopefully we will be able to resume our monthly meetings at the Spiders Web, they are open to everyone. Please come along. Please check our Facebook page – Old Clee In Bloom, or check out the notice board at the Church Hall garden. [Judy Nichols]
Chelmsford Avenue Neighbourhood Watch and In Bloom Gardening Group
Our group started as a neighbourhood watch around 2004. We soon formed a gardening section with around twenty or so volunteers. Under licence, from the Council, a piece of land was soon secured in the avenue, and with planning permission alot of hard work and fun, we soon had a lovely Wild life garden, including a small orchard with 3 types of apples, pear tree, crab apple, gooseberry bush, redcurrant and blackberry bushes. We have a picnic table (donated by Mr Nick Hammond of Hammond Homes) which is used by many residents and college students.
It wasn’t long before we joined with Grimsby In Bloom and took part in the “East Midlands In Bloom” and “It’s Your Neighbourhood” events. The group are very proud of the fact that we have, several times won an “outstanding grade” the top award that can be achieved! We have involvement with local schools and have built a large planter for them to utilise. Through the Neighbourhood Watch the avenue has become a much better place to live with many “strangers” now becoming good neighbours. We have several events during the year (pre covid), ten pin bowling, with a fish and chip supper, the best back garden competition, including best tub/flower basket and a BBQ on the day of the competition results. We also have a best pudding competition, with several glasses of wine, this goes very well!
With a successful grant application we managed to offer each household a fully stocked hanging basket with bracket (we even put each one up for the residents) we have on most of the grass verges a series of wooden flower boxes. looked after by the residents. With the help of our local council ward team, we have sixteen lampposts in the avenue with flower baskets attached. We have an annual funding appeal to the residents to pay for the flowers and most, willingly donate. We have created a really nice area to live in.
We are in the process of getting our residents to cut their own grass verge, we have had only a small success with this at the moment.
Our future plans are to have an art competition, to paint the base of the lampposts with a floral design. and also to perhaps have wild flowers in the grass verges instead of just grass. Sadly the Covid has stopped most of what we do, but we are waiting in the wings, trowels in hand waiting to kick start again. Watch this space! Many thanks to all particularly our ward councillors who have been very supportive, with at times, what seems to be another crazy idea. (I admit, some are!) [Trevor Harrison]
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