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Alnwick in Bloom, Summer Portfolio, 2013 1

INTRODUCTION

ALNWICK, lying in the heart of Northumberland, is one of the most northerly market towns in England, home of the Dukes of Northumberland at Alnwick Castle and is the historic County town of Northumberland.

Alnwick Town Council enters Northumbria in Bloom on behalf of the town, however it is Alnwick in Bloom, an autonomous team of committed volunteers, which devises the route and hosts the Judges on the days they visit. Alnwick in Bloom has been in existence for over thirty years and committee members are detailed below, in a list that shows their individual responsibilities. Our aims have never wavered –to make Alnwick look the best it can, so residents and visitors alike are pleased to be here. Our strategy is to work with all Councils and volunteer groups, e.g. Friends of the Earth, local schools such as Alnwick South First School and big businesses, such as Sainsburys, to create the best environment possible here in our town.


ALNWICK IN BLOOM ACHIEVEMENTS 2012-2013

Alnwick achieved a GOLD Award in Northumbria in Bloom.

Several of our Special Awards entries won Gold or Silver Gilt last year

Working with Alnwick South School. Two volunteers weekly to assist with the children’s planting areas, and liaising with Sainsburys for a Grant to the school.

Collaboration with Friends of the Earth and Northumberland County Council, to demonstrate sustainable planting in Alnwick.

Facilitating resurfacing the main entry pathway on Column Field.

Children’s Painting Competition.

Summer Gardens Competition.

Two Presentation Evenings at The Alnwick Garden.

More bulbs planted at Barter Books and the Column Field.

33 Trees Planted on the Infirmary Bank, with forty volunteers from several organisations.

Devising and running a two day exhibition of Alnwick in Bloom, during the Festival of Alnwick.

The proposal and successful Adoption of all the Two Tier Planters originally funded by Alnwick in Bloom, by Alnwick Town Council.

The proposals and successful Adoption by Alnwick Town Council of the Barrels planted by Friends of the Earth.

Sponsorship for trees on Column Field and along South Road. The majority of these achievements are far reaching and long lasting. We receive regular feedback from residents who see the improvements being made and commend Alnwick in Bloom’s efforts.


ALNWICK IN BLOOM- PROJECT 2013 COLUMN FIELD PROJECT-PART 1

The Column Field is one of the show piece areas of Alnwick; Unfortunately the Council cuts have resulted in necessary repairs to pathways in non urgent areas being postponed. This is where Alnwick in Bloom stepped in. One of our Committee requested a quotation for repairing the pathway from South Road, to the Information Point at the foot of the hill, in traditional red tarmac. The quotation was £1700, not a huge amount, but well beyond the funds available to Alnwick in Bloom. However Alnwick in Bloom explained the situation to our Northumberland County Council representatives, Gordon Castle, and Roger Styring, and fortunately both of them had something left in their Councillor’s budgets. Gordon authorised £1000, and Roger made up the balance –Roger was kind enough to request Highways that perhaps the work could follow on from resurfacing work in the town centre 15th to 18th April.

Before.

Column Field pathway after resurfacing.


COLUMN FIELD PROJECT –PART 2

Alnwick in Bloom has a new section- The Guerilla Gardeners, and the second part of the Column Field Project involved the Gardeners working, inside the railings, to remove all the weeds from the base of the Column and steps.

The next part of the Project is campaigning for new seating and at the same time improving the areas of planting. Watch this Space, as they say!


WORKING WITH OTHERS

ALNWICK IN BLOOM AND ALNWICK SOUTH FIRST SCHOOL

Alnwick in Bloom has been working for some time to assist this excellent First School, which achieved ‘Outstanding’ in its recent Ofsted report, and has approached Sainsburys in Alnwick. At our initial meeting with Sainsburys, the Manager, Peter Conwell confirmed that a grant of £150 would be given ‘in kind’ to Alnwick in Bloom to donate to the school. The school has a thriving Eco Group, with representatives from each class in the school, led by teacher Charlotte Murdy, and this year they have been learning about how bees pollinate the plants and flowers. They also designed the posters on the school walls.


The school needs not only equipment, but volunteers to assist the children. Two of Alnwick in Bloom’s Committee members, Susan Bell and Kathleen Bradford have been working at the School for the last few weeks. They have weeded the Bee Border, and will be moving on to the Allotment section shortly.

Charlotte Murdy, Eco Group Leader, Kathleen Bradford, and Susan Bell.

On the 3rd July two committee members went to Sainsburys and were taken into Homebase by John, the Sainsburys PR representative, to purchase the equipment. Homebase gave a 35% discount off every listed price, and this is what was donated to the school, by Alnwick in Bloom.

8 x Qualcast Trowels - 8 x Qualcast Forks 2 x smaller Trowels 2x smaller forks. 2x hand rakes 2x hand weeder/hoes. 2x Brooms with handles (medium size) 8x Childrens' gloves. 3x Watering cans 2x Red, weed/multipurpose buckets. 1x Propagator 6x small green planter troughs 1x Large vegetable seed packet 1x Large salad seed packet.


ALNWICK IN BLOOM AND FRIENDS OF THE EARTH Sometime ago Alnwick in Bloom and Friends of the Earth started a loose partnership, which has now culminated in a project, 'Herbs for Health' to provide planted up tubs outside Infirmary Drive, on South Road. We thought the title most appropriate as the Hospital and

Doctors' surgeries are on this site. The story started with Alnwick in Bloom proposing the purchase of the tubs, but because A in B does not want to own anything we decided that the 12 tubs should be donated to the Town Council, and this was accepted at a

Council meeting. This means that the tubs are properly insured against accident or injury to the general public. Friends of the Earth planted up the tubs on Saturday 11th

May, with a selection of plants that they have provided, such as Rosemary, Mint, Toadflax, Feverfew, Alkanet, Cardoon and Evening Primrose. There are more plants on order and these will be put in later. Alnwick Town Council has supported this project magnificently, by agreeing to accept the tubs in the first place and by funding the watering costs of the tubs for the season.

So this is an excellent story of co-operation amongst two local voluntary groups with the support of our Town Council.


ALNWICK IN BLOOM-SPECIAL AWARDS ENTRIES 2013

Class: 1. Green Batt Garden Voluntary Projects

.

5. Graham’s Yard Residential Communities 6. Abbeyfield Extra Care

Care/Residential/Convalescent Homes

7. St. Paul’s Church Religious Establishments


8. Alnwick Garden Commercial Premises 9. The White Swan Pubs & Hotels 10. Hulne Park Conservation Projects 15. Infirmary Drive Hospital/Hospices/Medical Centres – Herbs for Health. Partnership with Friends of the Earth


16. Pottergate Adult Training Centre Colleges/Universities/Sports Complexes 17. St. James’s Allotments Allotment Associations


HORTICULTURAL ACHIEVEMENTS.

33 trees planted on The Infirmary Bank.

Bulbs planted at Barter Books and Column Field.

Willow trees planted along South Road.

Stands of Himalayan Birch trees on Column Field.

Planting of the two tier planters 2012. Additional planting 2013.

Planting of the Clock Flower bed at Wager Cottage.

Planting of trees and roses at The Pinfold.

Facilitating the sale of Hanging Baskets through out the town each year.

Each year we try and add to our impressive record of helping Alnwick to look beautiful.

ENVIRONMENTAL ACHIEVEMENTS.

In the last year Alnwick in Bloom has:-

Provided twelve tubs for Friends of the Earth and Alnwick in Bloom to plant up with herbs and sustainable plants at Infirmary Drive. ‘Herbs for Health’ –very appropriate near the Hospital and Doctors’ surgeries!

Given the Seed pack from the RHS to Alnwick South School, and continues in a joint planting project, with equipment donated by Sainsburys.

Continues to monitor the Wildlife Corridor at Sainsburys. Alnwick in Bloom assists as required.

Endorses and assists where possible to improve the recycling in Alnwick. Recycling figures are exceptional compared with many Local Authorities. From 32% in 2007 to over 70% in 2013.

Alnwick in Bloom has worked with local schools producing anti litter posters for the local rubbish bins.

Alnwick in Bloom organises Litter Picks from time to time, and members assist at The Green Batt garden regular litter clearing sessions.

Alnwick in Bloom members have noticed that one lamppost in Bondgate within is not of the ‘Heritage’ type. The County Council has promised to replace it shortly.


HULNE PARK

There is not room in the Portfolio to give each Special Entry its own page, so this year we are putting in more detail about just one of them. Hulne Park is owned by The Duke of Northumberland, and is open to the public all the year round. This makes it a most valuable leisure resource for Alnwick, where anyone can enter and appreciate the serenity and beauty of the trees, plants and wildlife that abounds. The park contains the ruins of Hulne Priory, one of the earliest Carmelite monasteries in England built in 1240; the 12th century entrance tower to Alnwick Abbey; and Brislee Tower, designed by Adam in pseudo-Gothic style to provide a panoramic view which encompasses no less than 7 castles.. Note the line of Dawn Redwood trees,

thought to be extinct seventy years ago until discovered in China in 1944, where they were being used as cattle fodder! They had only previously been known as fossilised remains. Saplings were planted in Hulne Park several decades ago by the then Duke, and this would have been real ‘one upmanship’, as they are still rare today. In addition there are several species of orchids, e.g. Northern Marsh and Spotted Orchid in the grassy rides beside the tracks, and many wildflowers, including Heath Milkwort which with its deep blue flower is prominent during the summer. Over two hundred fallow deer, Red Deer and Roe Deer live in the park, and there are Dippers, Herons, Kingfishers and Grey Wagtails as well. Otter tracks have been seen by the stream.


BUDGET.

Alnwick Town Council provides a grant each year.

Alnwick in Bloom approaches local businesses and organisations for sponsorship each year

Local businesses support us for individual projects, e.g. tree planting, and purchase hanging baskets each year.

Local organisations, e.g. Rotary, Inner Wheel, The Alnwick Lions, give grants, or provide trees and plants.

Sainsburys provided a Grant of £150 to be spent on gardening equipment at Homebase. Homebase then gave a 35% discount off everything chosen, and Alnwick in Bloom donated all the tools to Alnwick South First School.

The Alnwick Garden supports us by allowing the use of The Pavilion twice a year for our Presentation Evenings.

The Alnwick Garden hosts members and Judges on Spring and Summer Visits.

Barter Books also supports us with involvement in judging the Children’s Painting Competition, and hosting the Judges


THE ALNWICK IN BLOOM COMMITTEE

Tom Pattinson (Chairman) Tom has been a Member of Alnwick in Bloom since1982. He has written a weekly gardening column for the North Eastern Press since 1982. He is a local judge at Town/Village shows and competitions and is a Northumbria in Bloom judge.

Sue Allcroft (Secretary) Town Councillor and Honorary Secretary.

Sue has been a member of Alnwick in Bloom since she moved to Alnwick in 2005.

Eileen Blakey, ex Mayor of Alnwick and Treasurer/fundraiser. Route Committee.

Eileen has completed more than 25 years as a committee member, and leads not only the Route Committee, but organises the entry to Northumbria in Bloom.

Elizabeth Jones, Project Co-ordinator. Route Committee.

Elizabeth has been a member for several years, and is the main driver of projects.

Paul Larkin, Editor of The Northumberland Gazette.

Responsible for publicity, and always joins the working parties.

Margaret Casey. Children’s Painting Competition Organiser.

Margaret has been a committee member for over five years. Despite her full time job she runs the competition, liaising with all the local schools.

Ken Moore, Town Council Representative.

Ken liaises with the Probation Service for the ‘pay back teams’ to work around Alnwick.

Susan Bell, Route Committee member.

Volunteer at Alnwick South School,

Kathleen Bradford. Secretary of the Inner Wheel organisation, Route Committee member.

Kathleen is also a volunteer at Alnwick South School.

Karen Larkin, Director of the Alnwick Food Festival.

Karen helps when ever she is called in, e.g. the Children’s Picture competition.

David Farrar. Town Council Representative and Web Site co-ordinator.

Also a member of Friends of the Earth and facilitates the links between the two groups.


DIARY OF THE YEAR 2013

Communication With regular use of e mails the whole committee is involved in whatever is going on, and we generally hold meetings on a monthly basis, or more often if we think it is necessary.

January to March Promotion of The Children’s Painting Competition in schools.

February Regular committee meeting to decide projects for the year. Sponsorship letters despatched.

March

Fund raising letters and meetings. Devising and planning the Spring Route, liaison with NCC Meetings with Sainsburys and Alnwick South School.

April Northumbria in Bloom Spring Inspection.

May Collection of Painting Competition entries, judging etc.

June Working/planting parties. The Route committee starts work on deciding where to take the Judges. Working with NCC to ensure areas in town are presented at their best,

July Presentations to winners of the Painting Competition. Shop Windows Competition. Northumbria in Bloom Summer Inspection

August Summer Gardens Competition.

September Northumbria in Bloom Presentations. Alnwick in Bloom Presentations

October/November Meetings with Northumberland County Council representatives to discuss next year’s planting and colour schemes.

December

Alnwick in Bloom Dinner. A great get together and paid for by the individual members.

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