BRIDGE IN BLOOM 2007
Towards a winning village – with your help here we go
The plans made by a working group to enter Marple Bridge for the North West in Bloom competition again this year are budding into flower. Now the group needs the whole community to become involved – ‘let’s keep going by keeping growing’ might well summarise the rallying call.
Projects initiated by Jackie Collins, Pat Harris and Margaret Haresnape were approved and augmented by a larger group of people who attended a public meeting on March 6. Now traders and residents over the whole area are being urged to play their part by planting, growing and continuing green initiatives to make a good impression when judges make their visit sometime in July.
The judges’ tour of inspection yet to be finalised, is likely to include Town Street, the entrance to Brabyns Park, Low Lea Road, Lower Fold and St Martin’s Churchyard, and residents and traders in these areas in particular are urged to make especial efforts. Clearly, though, residents of the whole of Marple Bridge, including Compstall Road to the village boundary at Compstall Bridge, are asked to take especial pride in the appearance of their gardens, to the lasting benefit of the village and the value of their properties. Particularly along the judging route, some help with gardening may be available to elderly people or anyone with disabilities.
Initiatives already launched by the village working group include provision of planting containers and bulbs to schools, along with nesting boxes for birds. The Marple Bridge Association is sponsoring green initiatives among the local schools, who are responding well with ideas for projects.
In Town Street there will be hanging baskets funded by the Marple Bridge Association, tubs and containers. Again, residents and traders are invited to plant and maintain their own flower containers and window boxes, with the latter being particularly welcome as last year’s judges said they would like to see more floral displays at eye level.
At St.Martin’s Church – very active and co-operative in local green issues and it was the church which provided hospitality for the March 6 meeting – there will be hanging baskets and possibly provision of accommodation for fund raising events.
In Brabyns Park there are also a number of imaginative initiatives. More than 1000 bulbs have already been planted in the pond area – visitors are asked to beware of treading on young daffodils near the play space – and there is an idea that perhaps a similar number can be planted every autumn as a long-lasting legacy to the village area.
Other plans for Brabyns include encouraging wild flower areas and planning of a sensory plant area with the co-operation of Marple and Cheadle College, more bird boxes, planted tubs, provision of information boards on features of natural interest, tree identification signs, extending the path around the pond and the planting of bluebell bulbs in the autumn.
These are wonderful visions. All that is needed is the solid support of the community and individuals. Help your community continue to blossom!
Above all, now, to build on the entry considered favourably by the competition adjudicators last year, the entry to North West Britain in Bloom needs that commitment from everyone with a garden area, volunteers for help with efforts including a litter pick on April 22 (details to follow) and ideas and help with fund-raising efforts. Anyone able to help should contact Jackie Collins.
