By Sweet William - February 2010
Oh, to be in England...
By the time you read this Winter will hopefully have gone and Spring should be on it’s way bringing relief from the snow and frost which has been our unwelcome lot for much of this bare, bleak winter. We need to look ahead and imagine the delights of spring, longer and warmer days, the trees bursting into leaf and daffodils vying with snowdrops and primroses for our admiring glances. Here in Thornbury we are fortunate in having many thousands of bulbs planted in the verges of many roads and this spring should see the results of last autumn’s planting carried out by our Thornbury in Bloom volunteers.
The spring flowers will fade and will need to be replaced by our summer displays of hanging baskets, planters and borders which will greatly enhance the appearance of the town.
Obviously this incurs a considerable expense to Thornbury in Bloom and this is where I ask you to consider sponsoring a hanging basket that can be dedicated to a loved one or to some specific event which you would like to remember. Of course should you so wish you may consider sponsoring a larger display perhaps in conjunction with friends, relatives or neighbours . There are a number of easy ways of doing this: just call in the Garden Shop in the High St and see Sue Aitken , alternatively call in the Town Hall and the lovely ladies there will take your orders!
The Thornbury in Bloom website will be updated to contain all the information that you need so just log on to www.thornburyinbloom.co.uk
Owing to our success last year in winning the National award we cannot compete in that competition this year, but we will still need a supreme effort to beat St. Ives in the South West area competition. Sponsoring is one way to help us in this venture and at the very least you will help brighten up the Town and this is a rewarding feeling. Give it a try! Thank you.
By Sweet William - November 2009
How Can We Follow That...
In September 2008 a number of your Committee members accompanied by a contingent of South Glos. employees headed Westwards to attend the Britain in Bloom South West area presentation results ceremony in the Guildhall in Plymouth. After a most enjoyable day we headed home with an armful of awards and trophies including a Gold award and the supreme prize of being the Best Town in the South West of England.
Now let’s fast forward to September 2009 and pose the question – just how could we follow that? Have patience dear readers, all will be revealed in a little while.
First of all we had to attend another South West in Bloom presentation ceremony, this time in Yeovil and a similar band of Committee members and South Glos. employees made their way to the venue by coach provided by South Glos. Council. How would we do this time? Could we equal the 2008 haul of trophies? Could we even surpass it?
We started off well and picked up four Neighbourhood awards and two Certificates of outstanding achievement for the Catholic Prayer Garden and the Community Garden.
With passions rising the major awards were made and Thornbury and St Ives were Gold award winners but the best town award went to St. Ives - unofficially by a single point. It could not have been closer and although the initial reaction was of bitter disappointment after a period of reflection we realised that we had once again had achieved a very fine result.
However there were the National Competition results still to come and once again we headed off to an Award ceremony, this time in Torbay. We had a wonderful day culminating in Thornbury being one of two Gold award winners in our group but this time we were declared the overall group winners. We proved that we could follow the 2008 result by becoming the best in the whole country!!!! A marvellous achievement for the Town and a credit to all who have helped with finance, planting bulbs and plants, picking up litter, sponsoring baskets and floral displays and so many other ways. Our grateful thanks to all who have helped in any way and may we look forward to your continued support in 2010. We have already started working on ideas for next year and we still need willing hands to do some physical work planting bulbs and digging flower beds, volunteers please!
By Sweet William - March 2009
Every Penny Counts...
It hardly seems possible that six months have gone by since your Committee returned from Plymouth with a Gold Award, five Neighbourhood awards and the Trophy awarded for the best town in the South West area of Britain Bloom. We were and still are very proud of the Town’s achievements, which have led to us being invited to represent the South West in the National competition. This is a considerable honour for the Town and any resulting publicity may well lead to increased business and tourist opportunities. In early February four of your intrepid Committee members set out to go west once more but only as far as Glastonbury to attend the Spring seminar of South West Britain in Bloom and we soon realised that our task in the National competition will be at a higher level than the standard imposed at the Area level. This is because the highest achievers from all regions are brought together and as a result the expectations are higher and the judging more rigorous. We can only reach this higher standard by raising our own standards and performance levels by improving our horticultural achievement, having a sound environmental policy and increasing community participation.
This will inevitably require more expenditure and although we have initiated a number of fund raising events such as coffee morning, chocolate stall, Westonbirt talk etc. we urgently need to raise more cash donations and sponsorship of specific projects, which are twinkles in the Committee’s eye at the moment. One of these is an Honours Board identifying all of the awards, that have been conferred on Thornbury over the many years of competition: this might be displayed in the Town Hall for example. Are there any woodworkers out there who would be interested in making such a board and is there anyone willing to sponsor this? You will recall that last year we purchased two superb planters that stand outside one of the banks, we would like more of these and we seek full or partial sponsorship. At a lower level we have a website on which you can see various videos showing a number of activities, this currently costs over £200 to service: donations to keep the website on air would be welcome.
There are other thoughts but space is limited so I will ask you to dig deep and give any spare cash to Thornbury in Bloom where you will see something for your money which you certainly will not if Bandit Brown and his gang of bankrupt bankers get their hands on it. Thanks to all our existing sponsors and supporters, we do appreciate all that you do and hopefully we will get some more in the near future.
By Sweet William - October 2008
Simply the best...
For a change I’m going to straight to the point, no circuitous route, no red herrings at all. On Thursday September 18th some of your Committee crawled out of bed at an unearthly hour to catch a coach going to Plymouth to take part in the South West Britain in Bloom award winning presentation ceremony. We had a very pleasant journey and arrived in plenty of time to attend the Neighbourhood Award section and we were delighted to receive an RHS discretionary award for our interpretation of the theme "Local Roots". We had further success with Awards of Merit for Manorbrook Primary School, the Catholic Church and the Community Garden with an Outstanding Achievement Award going to the Litter Busters. A great start to the day!! What could we do in the main section in the afternoon?
After an excellent lunch we settled down to the continuation of the ceremony in the historic Guildhall of the City of Plymouth : we had to sit patiently through many results before we came to our group when it was announced that three towns had won Gold awards viz Sidmouth, St. Ives and Thornbury. Then came the verdict that we had won the group and were presented with the Sergent Cup amid much cheering and celebrations from the Thornbury contingent. To put this achievement in context this cup has been awarded 37 times and only on three other occasions has it been won by an inland town with the majority of victories going to St. Ives.
Well done Thornbury!!!
Later on at the end of the presentations we were further honoured when we won the most prestigious award of all the “Sponsors Trophy” for the Best Entry in the South West. Seven awards in all, a really great performance and one that gives credit to all of Thornbury and is shared by everyone. What a Grand Day Out!!
The following week we held our local prize giving night in the Armstrong Hall and everyone enjoyed a most successful evening and our thanks goes to all helpers for the excellent buffet and raffle prizes and to Park Insurance Services for the funding for the prize winners. A fitting end to a superb season.
Our thanks goes to all our helpers, competitors, supporters, sponsors, Thornbury Town Council, South Glos. Council and all the people of our Town, we will need you all next year when we have to defend our title of "The Best In the West."
Our special thanks goes to Sue Aitken the Chairman of Thornbury in Bloom Committee for her outstanding dedication, enthusiasm, commitment and sheer hard work which has been a major part in our success Thanks, Sue.
By Sweet William - June 2008
The Scouts have it!...
There have been and still are many organisations for boys and girls which teach teamwork, companionship, outdoor activities and they all embrace good principles as a method of keeping youngsters occupied and out of trouble. Many have religious leanings and adopted slogans as a means of encouraging lads and lasses to join. I remember “sure and steadfast” from the Boys Brigade but the best known by far was the world wide slogan of the Boy Scouts founded by Lord Baden Powell.
Be Prepared is that famous slogan and has been used in many instances in virtually every part of the world and in many diverse applications and we in Thornbury in Bloom have utilised this concept in preparing for this years challenging competition to see which town is the best in the west.
We have purchased two black and gilt heavy duty planters and these will be planted up and positioned near the Post Office; these were very expensive and any financial help towards the cost would be much appreciated. In keeping with the theme of the year (local roots) there will a special planting incorporating a potato planter in Rock Street gardens and once again we will see a number of salmon putchers in various locations, these of course are closely linked with the salmon industry on the Severn River. Additionally we will be acquring new self watering hanging baskets for the poles in the High St.our thanks to South Glos. Council for their kind grant.
A favourite feature- the Grovesend Road boat will be refurbished and hopefully located in an improved landscaped site.
We have been fortunate to have Park Insurance as a major sponsor this year and their funding will support garden competitions, a children’s section with prizes and a scarecrow competition.
Many other activities have taken place including daffodil planting, tree planting in the Mundy Playing Fields, a plant sale which raised £295, our thanks to all who contributed plants and their valuable time.
We now need to apply the finishing touches to our gardens and Town floral displays so that come the second week in July our preparations will be good enough to persuade the Judges that we are indeed the "Best".
By Sweet William - February 2008
Every Winter Changes To Spring...
Slowly but surely we are getting there, the days are lengthening and are brighter too so perhaps Spring is not too far away. So far this has not been a severe winter but even so many birds have migrated to warmer climes and other species of wild life have passed the time away by hibernating in their snug little nests. Some of you may think that your Committee has also hibernated but not so, we are like the famous Windmill theatre whose motto was “ we never close” and that applies to us too.
In November Committee members and some helpers planted a large number of daffodils along Grovesend Road and Streamleaze and we are nurturing a number of wild flower plants until they are ready to plant out in the wildflower meadow adjacent to the cemetery . We have also planted a number of tubs and containers with winter flowering plants and they make a pleasant sight outside the library and in the High St
Two or more Committee members will be attending a Britain in Bloom seminar in Taunton in early February with the idea of getting some insight into the type of competition we will face this year. The theme for this year is “Local Roots” which is subject to various interpretations but we believe it to be related to local history involving the castle and local industries such as fishing , quarrying and farming .We need from local people ideas and projects which we try to carry out within our constraints in funding and resources.
We are aiming to hold a plant stall in May ( 17 th ) and of course we need plants to sell, all local groups such as Allotment holders, Horticultural society and the community in general are requested to help by growing plants for the stall.
In an attempt to prolong the flowering life of some hanging baskets in the High St we are purchasing a trial number of self-watering baskets and as usual we need sponsors to help offset the costs, just call in the Town Hall and you will be warmly welcomed and quickly relieved of your money!
Park Insurance Services have generously donated £500 for competition prizes so there is plenty of incentive to improve your garden displays and enter the various categories that are open to all, entry is free and the relevant forms will be available later in the season.
As Bugs Bunny might say “That’s all Folks “ if you have had a mild case of hibernation , wake up- get digging and planting, find some ideas to help us to give you a winning Town in 2008.
By Sweet William - September 2007
The Battle of the Flowers...
The cultivation and use of flowers has been integral with society for thousands of years with some evidence found of association with humans in prehistoric times. We have used flowers to celebrate anniversaries, to express our feelings when being romantic; we use them to enhance our surroundings both at home and in our towns and villages. Many countries have national flowers, among them the daffodil of Wales, the thistle of Scotland and probably the most well known of all, the rose of England.
We have flower shows, exhibitions, competitions, and festivals and in Jersey they hold a wonderful annual spectacle known as the Battle of the Flowers. Every year Thornbury is entered in the South West regional Britain in Bloom competition, which may be thought of as our battle of the flowers against the big guns of the region namely the likes of St.Ives and Sidmouth.
On 20th of September some intrepid members of your Committee headed west to St. Ives to the Area presentation ceremonies and we were rewarded with the news that once again Thornbury had one a Gold award (the highest possible) in our group and additionally we were awarded the Bruford Cup for the best non municipal floral town centre display in the whole of the South West region. This is a tremendous achievement and congratulations go to all our suppliers of floral arrangements, our watering team (we must try and extend the watering season somehow) our sponsors, our supporters and helpers not forgetting all Committee members for their enthusiasm and desire to make Thornbury the "Best in the West".
We concluded the 2007 season on Friday 28th Sept by holding our annual presentation evening in a somewhat crowded and buzzing Cosham Hall, this commenced with an informative and amusing talk by Sue Aitken about the structure of National, Regional and Local competitions. This was followed by the Town Mayor and Lady Mayor presenting prizes and trophies to the many worthy winners. An excellent evening was enjoyed by all and with a final thank you everyone we say farewell until next year and then we’ll be back!
Due to space constrictions a Sweet William article for September was not printed in the magazine but it is available on the website. Log on to www.thornburyinbloom.co.uk there you will find all sorts of information.
By Sweet William - August 2007
We seek it here, we seek it there...
Suddenly it was dark. I had been so engrossed with the latest copy of the Wizard (it may have been the Hotspur) that I had failed to hear my mother entering my bedroom to tell me that it was time to put out the light and get off to sleep, as I had to be up in the morning to go to school. As I was miles away she gave one flick of the switch and darkness descended and despite my protests that was that. However, I had a trick up my sleeve or rather under my pillow for there was my secret weapon for beating the lights out regime, a torch! Under the bedclothes I went and carried on reading about the adventures of Wilson, The Wolf of Kabul and his sidekick Chung and many others. These boys’ papers attracted some negative comments even though they were well written and if one wanted to follow the adventures of your own heroes you had to learn to read and once you had the reading bug you progressed to other forms of literature. I for one am very grateful to the Wizards of that old fashioned world for giving me a life long interest in reading all sorts of books and papers.
I recall the ‘Just William’ books (how did the female author get the name Richmal?) Some Tom Sawyer stories, Treasure Island, Death on the Nile and a super yarn The Scarlet Pimpernel by Baroness Orczy a member of the Hungarian nobility; now there’s a thing to impress a young lad. The Pimpernel was in reality an upper crust Englishman who constantly outwitted the French Revolutionaries by smuggling aristocrats out of France and eluding capture hence the saying 'We seek him here, we seek him there, those Frenchies seek him everywhere that damned elusive Pimpernel'.
Now we in Thornbury have been seeking our own elusive objective which is to win top spot in our Britain in Bloom group: we have Gold awards which reflect our high standards over the years but our own elusive Pimpernel has given us the slip. Can we capture it this year? The judging team have been around the town with members of the Committee and all ended up like drowned rats for it probably was the worst day of this wretched summer but we believe that the judges were suitably impressed with the floral displays, Mundy playing fields, Filmore Woods ,the wild flower meadow and other areas which were on the judges route. There is nothing we can do now except to patiently wait until September 20th when all will be revealed in the Cornish resort of St. Ives. What a triumph that would be if we could capture our Pimpernel in the fortress of one of our biggest rivals.