Yesterday, two judges from Northumbria in Bloom were escorted around the village by members of the ‘Blooming’ committee.
They seemed impressed with what they were shown during the 2 hour walkabout. But we won’t know until September how well we did.
Thank you to all the businesses, residents, school and volunteers for putting on such a good show.
The local PCSOs have been into the schools regularly talking to the kids about various subjects, such as the effects of irresponsible dog owners.
They recently ran a competition with Shotley Bridge Junior School, with all the pupils designing a dog fouling poster. Two were chosen from each class as winners. All the children were keen to be involved in the posters.
Before breaking up for the summer holidays, the winners took their posters to put up near the school and around the village.
Also known as the ‘Hen Run’, the well used footpath between Briary Gardens and The Terrace has been ‘adopted’ by the Trust as a wildlife conservation area, as a part of its Blooming Shotley Bridge Initiative.
This week a dozen volunteers have been cutting back the overgrown vegetation which has been taken for composting, by the County Council. The stream has been cleared and debris removed. Bulb and wildflower planting has been undertaken to improve the site’s biodiversity and habitats for wildlife have been created, including a stone and wood sculpture at the bottom entrance. A ‘bug hotel’, bat and bird boxes have been made by volunteers and school children.
The meeting last evening was reasonably well attended with 24 persons present & 10 apologies.
With the exception of Carolyn Baker, all the existing committee members were prepared to stand and be re-elected.
Corinne Walton from the Derwent Valley Partnership gave a talk about the work of the organisation and the £10,000 small grants fund that had been set up this year. As a local group she invited the Trust to apply for funding, up to the value of £1000.
This morning, 22 volunteers from the Trust planted the tubs and troughs with over 1000 sumer bedding plants.
Antirrhinum, Tagetes, Bidens and Lobelia were planted to give a mix of yellow, orange and white flowers, in celebration of the RHS Britain in Bloom 50th anniversary this year.
Shotley Bridge Village Trust 
