Poulton in Bloom vows to honour Covid victims with planting spree - and the Queen's Platinum Jubilee with celebration planters - but need YOUR help

Next year promises to be a busy year for Poulton in Bloom, which has plans to sow cherry trees to honour Covid victims, create a celebration planter for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee, and launch monthly gardening workshops – as well as to install a nature trail around the ancient market town.

And organisers Brenda Cross and Melanie Carter hope to recruit residents wondering: ‘What am I going to do with my time?’

“We want to do something that will propel Poulton in Bloom into people’s minds every month and continue all the local business support we’ve got,” they said.

“Our aim is to brighten the town and make people welcome. It’s good for the wellbeing – the people who make the arrangements, the people who see the colours and plants, and it makes people proud of their town.”

Working under the umbrella of the Poulton Partnership and with help from Wyre Council, the volunteers work to cultivate community spirit through gardening around the town.

The club is part of the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom scheme, which works to celebrate community gardens with annual awards, with Poulton winning gold in 2013.

Made up of eight core members and more than 70 volunteers, the group is open to everyone regardless of gardening experience.

Brenda said: “Anyone can be a gardener and that’s part of our whole ethos.

“Gardening is an inclusive thing because everyone can garden, even at a basic level. After that we can see any other skills, whether it be sewing, knitting, or even IT.

“A lot of people have discovered their gardens over the last 18 months and we would love to build on those skills. It’s a great CV skill for young people and helps strengthen community spirits. We could really do with some younger muscle to put up the bird boxes as well.”

As well as gardening, the past six months has seen the group incorporate other skills from volunteers, creating knitting and sewing groups, and even setting up baking stalls to raise funds.

Melanie said: “People have become more craftier, with lockdown and online shops.

“All of us in the group have a different skill, be it sewing, knitting, or baking. We can use these skills and then hopefully encourage people to join Poulton in Bloom.”

Brenda and Melanie said they are delighted with the level of involvement from local businesses.

Brenda said: “The pubs and stores are watering the flowers for us. Even the town-crier waters a few plants. I was just so surprised how much everyone wants to be involved.

“People always comment how appreciative they are of the work.”

In order to fund next year’s plans, Poulton in Bloom have arranged Christmas wreath- making workshops throughout November, with all four dates selling out.

“The moss for our Christmas wreath-making workshops are that locally sourced they are actually scraping it off the woodland floor, complete with creepy-crawlies,” Brenda added.

For more information on Poulton in Bloom’s work, visit the group’s Facebook page.

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