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Introduction

Chairman’s Welcome

Can we do it again this year?

Once again this year we are competing in the prestigious East Midlands in Bloom contest and we have also been given the honour of being asked to represent the region nationally in the Britain In Bloom finals and internationally at Communities in Bloom 2016.

With a big challenge facing us this year, the opening question is one many will ask.

But I know that if the continual effort put in by our ever increasing Loughborough in Bloom family is anything to go by, then yes, of course we can.

To my mind Loughborough in Bloom is not just measured in the fantastic colour it brings to the town, but the massive amount of energy it creates.

If you could harness that energy and hook up any of our volunteers to the local power grid, we could light up the whole town.

Plug in Mike Jones and you could add the whole county in for good measure.

It’s the people who make Bloom. By that I mean council workers, businesses, volunteers and community groups alike and they have all done Loughborough proud once more this year.

Happy Bloom 2016 Everyone!Andy Rush, Chairman, Loughborough in Bloom Board

Loughborough in Bloom 2016

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Horticultural Achievement

ImpactLoughborough has embraced the RHS theme of Greening Grey Britain for Health and Happiness, while incorporating the Queen’s 90th birthday celebrations.

The town’s colour theme celebrates the Queen’s 90th birthday with a red, white and blue theme, whilst the roundabouts and Epinal Way are planted in hot colours of red, orange and yellow.

The swimming pool bed at Loughborough University has been planted out with a crown design in celebration. Plant choices are Ageratum Blue Champion, Ageratum White Champion, French Marigold Deep Orange, French Marigold Bonanza Gold and Pyrethrum Golden Moss.

New sustainable planting is being undertaken. Waterside planting has been created around the main pond in Queen’s Park which replaces the tired shrubbery. The garden is made up of numerous varieties of moisture loving and wetland plants that complement the water, not only in plant foliage and flower but also encourages insect and amphibious activity.

A fire beacon has been installed in Queen’s Park to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday and the park is planted in hot colours throughout the summer.

As part of Quadron’s commitment to sustainable planting the annual flower beds will be removed and replaced in a phased series of works over the next three years and herbaceous varieties in a tiered planter arrangement.

Additional planting has taken place in the zen garden and shrubbery next to Browns Lane in Queen’s Park to replace losses.

In a break with previous years, planting in the town centre has had a makeover with the removal of the three-tier planters. This year the town will boast five hanging basket trees, which each hold 21 baskets. The ‘dalek planters’, have not gone to waste and have been donated to local Parish Councils and community groups.

The main town centre planting schemes are also followed by local businesses. Their hanging basket and trough displays are coordinated by the Loughborough Business Improvement District, in consultation with Charnwood Borough Council and Quadron idverde.

Spring displays followed a traditional theme of wildflowers and daffodils around Forest Road, with many of the areas planted by the Scouts and Harry and Pat Cook of the Forest Road Green Belt Gardeners.

Main: Beacon in Queen’s Park.

Left: Town centre planters.

Right: Daffodills on Forest Road Green Belt.

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Horticultural PracticeLoughborough’s green spaces are maintained by a number of different organisations, community groups and volunteers.

For council-owned areas, herbicides are used as little as possible and pesticides are only used on sports fields to ensure areas continue to be suitable for play. These are used sparingly so there is no long lasting impact or danger to wildlife.

Although new planting is incorporated across the seasons and displays are changed annually to ensure impact is maintained, Quadron idverde is looking to introduce more sustainable planting in Council-owned beauty spots.

This year Quadron has contracted floral feature supplier, Plantscape, which will supply over 276 elevated planters to brighten Loughborough’s streets, main roads and roundabouts.

Three-quarters of baskets will be planted with red, white and blue flowers and there are further environmental benefits as the planters are fully recyclable and self-watering. The displays are planted at Plantscape’s own greenhouses.

Wherever possible, plants that are removed are offered to community groups to ensure they are re-used. Recent examples include pansies from Loughborough University and bedding plants from Queen’s Park.

New plants are sourced from nurseries which have used peat-free or minimum peat in their processes.

A number of open spaces across Loughborough require the support of volunteers to keep them maintained. Recent examples of local volunteering include the Three Close Tenants Community Group who planted flowerbeds at Orwell Close in Loughborough. Volunteers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints helped ‘Clean for the Queen’ by litter picking in Queen’s Park and Nanpantan Road in March. The Loughborough BID also cleaned shop fronts and removed graffiti in the town centre.

Scouts, Brownies and Guides with a group of University volunteers are also encouraged to support the maintenance of parks and green spaces, with many joining in at the start of spring to introduce new plants.

Left: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Volunteers help ‘Clean for the Queen’ on Nanpantan Road, Loughborough.

Below: Three Close Tenants developing their communal area.


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Business Areas & PremisesBusinesses are represented on the Loughborough in Bloom Board by the Love Loughborough Business Improvement District (BID) and the Loughborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce. Together they represent more than 700 businesses within the town, so they play a key part in the Bloom effort.

To celebrate and reward businesses for their efforts, two business competitions (Best Dressed Town Centre Business, sponsored by the BID, and Best Dressed Hotel/Public House, sponsored by the Chamber) continue to grow. These competitions are run alongside the East Midlands in Bloom competitions. Organisations that have been involved from the beginning have also been given the chance to develop their role within the competitions and share their expertise by becoming judges, allowing new businesses to take an active role. In 2015, Healthy Hearing on Granby Street won the Best Dressed Town Centre Business award, while the Beacon Inn on Beacon Road won the Best Dressed Hotel/Public House award.

For businesses in the town centre that do not have plots of their own, the BID has supported them in their entry by providing funding for hanging baskets and troughs. These are purchased at the same time as the council’s town centre displays to ensure they are in-keeping with the town theme.

Two of the town’s food businesses have taken on the Bloom challenge by offering some of their rubbish to local groups.

Cino Café now provides used coffee beans to groups looking for more ways to fertilise their plots, while McDonalds has furthered the work of one enterprising employee and has an arrangement with two allotments to provide waste for adding to compost.

Above: MacDonald’s Coffee Beans.

Right: Healthy Hearing, Granby Street.

“The Chamber is pleased to continue its support for Bloom. We have been looking at ways of getting more involvement from businesses and encouraging them to get more directly involved in dressing their premises. The quality of entries to the business competitions was particularly strong last year and we are looking to build on that.”

Rupert Harrison,Chamber representative on the Bloom Board

“This will be the fifth consecutive year that the Love Loughborough BID has supported Bloom. We know that businesses and the public alike value the investment in improving the appearance of the town centre. In 2016 we will increase the number of baskets and troughs that we’ve provided to over 200”

David Pagett-Wright, Chair of the BID Board and the Love Loughborough Partnership


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Residential & Community GardeningThe hard work of Loughborough’s many community groups and individual gardeners is the life blood of Loughborough in Bloom, with thirty four participating in ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ this year, mainly gaining level three or above.

The Community Participation Group (CPG) meets regularly throughout the year to help existing groups to flourish and encourage new groups to set up and take part, regardless of their size, experience or expertise.

Associations such as those representing Three Close Tenants and Chapman Street Gardeners show how communal areas between flats can be turned into welcoming spaces filled with plants and displays. Thorpe Acre Residents Association has taken over a neglected Ancient Village Green and made it a pleasure to behold. These groups enable residents to take part as little or often as they like. New groups can also grow and meet their green aspirations.

Loughborough University Landscaping Gardening Society (LAGS) and Transition Loughborough continue to offer workshops and seed swaps to other groups.

The University’s award winning “Eat Your Campus” project continues to flourish, with active participation of both LAGS and Transition who also support other community gardening groups in the town.

Over the past 12 months Loughborough University has continued to extend the fruit route, in excess of 112 trees have now been planted on a specific trail around campus. Some of the trees planted include, Apple, Cherry, Plum, Pear, Apricots, Sweet Chestnut, Fig and a Grape Vine.

The Bloom Board and CPG continue to seek to engage additional organisations to become involved with Loughborough in Bloom.

Right: Jack from Chapman Street Gardeners.

Below: LAGS with Transition Loughborough.


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Green SpacesDespite being the largest town in the north of Leicestershire, there are many areas of green spaces within Loughborough. Some of the largest parks in the town are Queen’s Park, Southfields Park and Sidings Park.

Queen’s Park – which is a Green Flag Park – remains one of the town’s focal points, with all flower beds and displays created by Quadron idverde. The Friends of Queen’s Park also work to bring further funding to the area to ensure it is kept looking beautiful throughout the year. The park is also brought further to life by local events, including Picnic in the Park, organised by Charnwood Arts. The Loogabarooga festival will also return for a second year to celebrate children’s illustrated literature in October.

Southfields Park features a new parkour park, to introduce youngsters and adults to the sport of freerunning/parkour and a skate park, alongside traditional rugby posts. The park embraces these urban sports sitting alongside a green space.

Shortcliffe Park in Loughborough will also be upgraded to include a skate park, goalposts and new benches. Natural green spaces that celebrate the environment include Stonebow Washlands, Charnwood Water and the Outwoods. It’s also been landscaped to improve it’s appearance and make it a more pleasant place to visit.

Described as the gateway to the National Forest, the Outwoods boasts many ancient species. May is a blooming time for the forest which is carpeted with bluebells.

The Charnia fossil was also first discovered in Charnwood Forest in 1957 and it is now a protected fossil site.

Grass cutting in the town is split between Charnwood Borough and Leicestershire County Council, with the County Council dealing with roadside verges, and the borough maintaining the majority of other public spaces.

Grass verges and roundabouts are cut to ensure visibility on the roads is maintained. This year the County Council has increased the number of cuts to six and introduced a new flexible system to improve grass cutting. A number of roundabouts in the town are also part of the council’s sponsorship scheme.

Community groups have also taken ownership of local green spaces, including a spinney within Thorpe Acre, managed and maintained by the Thorpe Acre Residents’ Association. The group continues to work to enhance the area and has recently secured funding from Charnwood Borough Council to introduce additional seating and signage. The Forest Road Green Belt continues to flourish under the watchful eye of local resident Harry Cook.

Gorse Covert Green Gym is an initiative which is run by Charnwood Borough Council. The scheme is a refreshing approach to outdoor exercise, designed to improve people’s health and wellbeing and make a positive impact on the local environment.

Banner and Top: Bluebells at the Outwoods.Left: Queen’s Park Beacon.Middle: Stonebow Washlands.Right: County Council Highways Team grass cutting.


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Environmental Responsibility

Conservation & BiodiversityGrange Park, Stonebow Washlands and the Outwoods regularly benefit from the work of volunteers to ensure Loughborough continues to enhance local wildlife.

Activities including wildflower seeding, coppicing, shrub clearance and the creation of paths are organised throughout the year.

Stonebow Washlands is part of Natural England’s Higher Level Stewardship Scheme and is managed by Quadron idverde, on behalf of Charnwood Borough Council. The area was created in the 1980s to alleviate the flood risk to Thorpe Acre and is a rich wildlife site and recreational space for residents.

This year Stonebow Washlands will be designated a Local Nature Reserve. This will give the area greater protection from any possible development and could help attract funding for improvements in the future.

Stonebow’s important habitats include semi-natural grassland, standing water bodies, streams and wet woodland. There is also a good range of grassland species including hairy sedge and marsh marigold and a significant community of common frog and toad. The designation is due to be completed this year.

Loughborough boasts two other stewardship scheme sites at Bishops Meadow and Pignut Spinney; these are grassland sites which are full of a diverse number of species. The natural management of these areas is designed to enhance the floral value. At Bishops Meadow grazing takes place in partnership with a local farmer.

In 2010 wildflower planting was introduced across Loughborough and continues to spread across the town. The town embraced the 2014 theme of ‘planting for pollinating insects’, and this theme continues to be built upon annually by developing planting schemes in the town to encourage pollinating insects and biodiversity, even within the urban environment.

There are more than 40 species of birds that nest on the Loughborough University campus, including pheasants, kingfishers and buzzards. Specifically designated wildlife areas have been created across the site to further boost woodland, and other species. A colony of bees was introduced in 2013 and the University produced its first home-grown honey in 2014.

Bird boxes have also sprung up across the town, with instant habitats installed in the Outwoods and Queen’s Park. Members of the Thorpe Acre Residents’ Group have also provided bird and bat boxes for use on the Forest Road Green Belt, adding to the small collection introduced in 2014.

The Green Belt also now boasts new, natural, seating, that has been handmade by Harry Cook. Harry has produced a collection of toadstools using local wood which now provide an additional place to sit and enjoy nature. This year Harry and Pat have built a fairy trail for children to visit at the Green Belt forest. Visitors so far have been local nurseries and school children who have enjoyed picnics whilst exploring the fairy trail.Left: to Right: Wildlife Haven, Bees at University, Harry Cook

Toadstools and Green Belt Fairy Trail.


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Resource ManagementDuring the dry seasons, Quadron idverde have access to a 600 gallon water storage tank at Charnwood Water. Water from the man-made lake is used to water nearby beds if they are threatened by drought.

Water butts are used by a number of community groups to gather water in an environmentally friendly way and ensure natural resources are used as much as possible before the need for hose pipes.

Quadron also uses mulch, including Lime Bark, to retain water on beds, alongside gel beads to hold some of the water and keep it in the soil, reducing the need to water the areas.

The new Plantscape hanging baskets will help reduce our carbon footprint as they are self-watering and fully recyclable.

When large beds are replanted, leaving plants in need of a new home, any remaining flowers or shrubs are donated to local community groups for them to be re-used. This can represent the start of a new flower bed for different groups and provides a splash of colour while waiting for seedlings to mature.

The Corner Garden Community Group has benefitted greatly from unwanted and donated plants to bring the space to life and provide residents with a community space that they can enjoy.

Loughborough University continues to use a mechanical bulb planting programme alongside their traditional annual programme; this has led to more than 30,000 bulbs being planted across various vast campuses that will continue to bloom in the future.

Serco, the Borough Council’s waste contractor, provides a mixed recycling service which makes it much easier for residents to use and in turn reduces the amount of rubbish going to landfill.

Charnwood Borough Council’s allotment tenants are offered composting facilities and green waste collection to ensure that all waste produced is used in the most effective way possible. Composting is also promoted by Leicestershire County Council, who offer reduced-price compost bins for anyone looking to use the nutrients from leftovers.

Composting skills are also shared by a network of Master Composter volunteers. Individuals are encouraged, by Leicestershire County Council, to use their experience of composting to help those who have never given it a go.

The Council’s annual Student Recycling Blitz, held before the summer holidays, encourages students to have a tidy-up of their homes and gardens, while also encouraging donations to charity. In 2015 the initiative resulted in 113 electrical items being collected and 23 bags of textiles being donated to charity, on top of fortnightly kerbside collections.

Left: The Loughborough Recycling Depot

Below: Busy volunteers at The Corner Garden


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Local HeritageLoughborough has a very rich local heritage that continues to be celebrated by local artists and organisations.

The Victorian Queen’s Park opened in 1899 to commemorate Queen Victoria’s jubilee and continues to showcase vibrant plant displays and events throughout the year.

The park is also home to Charnwood Museum –originally the town’s swimming baths – which celebrates the history of Charnwood, including its rich and diverse Jurassic past.

The Carillon War Memorial is the central feature of the space. The landmark which commemorates those who died in the First and Second World War is also a musical instrument for which Edward Elgar wrote the opening ceremony score entitled ‘Carillon Chimes’ and performed in July 1923. This manuscript was ‘lost’ for 90 years before being discovered in a Council building in February 2012.

Taylor’s Bell Foundry, one of the oldest Loughborough-based businesses, is famed for casting the largest bell in Britain, Great Paul, which is hung in St Paul’s Cathedral. The bell case used to cast the bell is also proudly displayed within Queen’s Park as a focal point for planting displays.

Last year, Angel Yard received a Green Plaque award from Leicestershire County Council. The plaque celebrates the building’s heritage as the original home of Ladybird Books, to remind visitors to the area of the building where the company started.

The Loogabarooga Festival will return for second year in October. The six-day festival celebrates children’s illustrated literature. Children and adults alike are invited to attend workshops and activities. This year a new competition has been launched for people to nominate their favourite Ladybird book and the most popular title will become artwork for a new bench which will be displayed in the town.

Loughborough’s Cattle Market, which had been seen as a less-attractive area within the town centre, has also been brightened up by the introduction of a bespoke piece of artwork.

The piece, created by Wei Ong, covers Loughborough across the seasons and references the town’s people, landmarks and history.

Right: The Carillon War Memorial in Queen’s Park – c/o Peter Minchell Photography

Below: Loogabarooga Book Bench.


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Local Environment QualityLoughborough’s environment is looked after by a number of organisations and groups contributing to Bloom.

Charnwood Borough Council’s Street Management team works with the Cleansing and Open Spaces team, Serco and volunteers to keep the town clean.

Street wardens deal with environmental crimes, from littering to dog fouling, and the Council has a very good reputation for tackling the issues head on. The annual Don’t Muck Around campaign has been recognised by a number of awarding bodies for raising awareness of littering, dog fouling and fly-tipping. Each year the Council works to design new and innovative ways to discuss the issues. This year’s campaign incorporates letters written by local school children which encourage people to stop littering and dog fouling.

Prosecutions for these offences are one way of deterring people from dumping their rubbish or failing to clean up after their pet. So far, the Council has carried out more than 15 prosecutions for fly-tipping so far this year, seven on-the-spot fines for dog fouling and 67 for littering.

The Council continues to work alongside Serco and Leicestershire County Council to increase recycling rates in the town, reducing the amount of waste from the area that goes to landfill. In 2015-16 Loughborough’s recycling rate was 48%.

Bloom groups continue to contribute to recycling, by producing their own compost and sharing it with other groups, and taking advantage of garden waste collections from the Borough Council.

Litter picking takes place throughout the year through the community composting scheme by volunteer community groups and with the help of volunteers who lend a hand to projects. The quality of a number of areas, from individual patches of land to estates is also maintained by members of the community.

Gorse Covert Green Gym is an initiative which is run by Charnwood Borough Council. A team of local volunteers are taught practical conservation skills to look after the environment, while also designed to positively impact people’s health and wellbeing by encouraging them to be active outdoors.

The main drive behind the work of many groups is to improve the look and feel of their area, not simply through the creating of visual displays, but also through ensuring the space continues to look neat and tidy.

Left: Gorse Covert Green Gym volunteers.Below: Serco leaf collection.


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Pride of PlaceStreet furniture in Loughborough town centre, including bus shelters and benches, is cleaned and maintained by some Charnwood Borough Council’s partners, Quadron idverde and Serco.

Community wardens and street wardens also patrol the town and report problems, including fly-tipping, litter and graffiti. The litter bins have been replaced with brand new stainless steel bins, to ensure they remain looking clean and tidy.

In 2014 signs welcoming people to Loughborough were placed on the seven entrances to the town. The signs are more prominent than those they replaced and celebrate one of the town’s most iconic features, the Carillon War Memorial.

This year there will be five hanging-basket trees in the town centre, which will be planted in red, white and blue to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday. The town has also been dressed with bunting and new banners.

Art has been used in another part of the town, to enhance the look and feel of the area. Bristol-based artists Wei Ong (Silent Hobo) designed the 60m artwork after speaking to local people and visitors about what Loughborough meant to them.

During consultation, Wei also created a piece about Lady Jane Grey, which is also on display in Market Yard.

In May the new Cineworld complex opened, which is part of a multi-million pound development in the heart of the town. The area will also have a number of new restaurants and bars, which will boost the town’s night-time economy.

Signage within the town centre has also been changed and enhanced, with new information boards pointing visitors to local points of interest.

Above: The newly opened Cineworld complex.Below: Cattle Market colourful street art

Left: Love Loughborough banners, hanging baskets and bunting to celebrate the Queen’s 90th Birthday.


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Community Participation

Development & ContinuityThe Loughborough in Bloom campaign is supported by the Bloom Board, which is made up of key decision makers from across the town.

Local residents join the chair of the Community Participation Group, Mike Jones, alongside representatives from Charnwood Borough Council, Leicestershire County Council, Loughborough University, the Business Improvement District and Chamber of Trade and Commerce and Quadron idverde.

The Loughborough in Bloom Board is chaired by Loughborough Echo Editor, Andy Rush; meetings take place throughout the year to ensure the campaign continues to grow.

The Cambridge Street based Corner Garden has developed over the last three years, growing from an unloved space that was prone to anti-social behaviour, to a community garden used for local events. Work on the project continues, with plans to expand the use of the space and develop the offer for residents.

At Loughborough University the completion of an additional two football pitches at the Holywell end of campus has resulted in a further planting of 4,500 hedge whips and trees to extend Burleigh woodland and to complete the wildlife corridor on the southern boundary of the campus.

The Forest Road Green Belt was established as a community space for wildlife a few years ago by Harry Cook and his wife Pat and has been entered for a Community Green Flag.

The community group continue to develop the space, introducing new features, and encouraging children from the scouts, brownies, and local school to take part in activities. This Spring time saw scouts pick up their trowels to plant daffodil bulbs and a Fairy Trail was created for children to enjoy.

Youngsters across the town continue to develop green fingers by taking part in the annual sunflower competition, organised and sponsored by Mike and Marj Jones.

Left: The Loughborough in Bloom Board.Bottom Left: Local Scouts plant bulbs at the

Forest Road Green Belt.Below: Youngsters take part in the

Annual Sunflower Competition.


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Community & EducationThe town’s local newspaper, the Loughborough Echo, has been at the heart of the Loughborough in Bloom campaign since it was launched in 2009.

Regular updates and Bloom news are included within the weekly paper and the Editor, Andy Rush, continues to develop the campaign as Chairman of the Loughborough in Bloom Board.

The Charnwood Borough Council website has regular updates about Loughborough in Bloom throughout the year and the Loughborough in Bloom community website keeps residents informed about events.

Quadron has also launched a new community website which is intended to complement and expand upon the existing Quadron idverde corporate website and the Quadron Community Partners Facebook page. It features the latest case studies on Quadron’s activities with volunteer and third sector groups and some of the positive feedback that the company has received from groups it works with.

The town’s Scouts movement has continued to engage youngsters in growing, planting and celebrating wildlife, after taking a very active role in the 2015 campaign.

The continued involvement of Loughborough’s schools in Bloom ensures that the skills and expertise of those groups taking part is passed onto the next generation.

The annual children’s competitions invited primary school children to get involved in the event, while a number of schools also use local green spots when teaching.

Pupils from Loughborough’s Primary Schools were once again invited to enter the Tallest Sunflower competition.

Plantscape, which is contracted by Quadron idverde to provide sustainable planters in Loughborough, has held a series of workshops for local schools to teach them how to grow and look after plants.

Both the Three Close Tenants Association and Harry and Pat Cook of Forest Road Green Belt have worked with Probation Service Trainees to tend and improve the local areas.

Education is not just for the young; Charnwood Borough Council runs an environmental campaign each year to educate residents and visitors about littering, fly tipping and dog fouling.

The award-winning Don’t Muck Around campaign carries different themes each year to engage different target audiences. Previously it has used social media to attract online audiences, as well as posters and leaflets.

Below: Probation Service trainees painting fence a Forest Road Green Belt.

Below: Forest Road Green Belt.


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Community ParticipationCommunity participation in Loughborough continues to drive the Bloom campaign. Each year the number of It’s Your Neighbourhood groups increases; this year a total of 34 organisations have signed up to take a very active role. There are other groups, individuals and businesses who also contribute in other ways.

Loughborough Student Action continues to urge as many of the University’s students to pick up a trowel and support projects under the Bloom umbrella. Each year, more than 2,000 volunteers take part in litter picking and gardening and maintenance projects across the borough.

Students from the University undertook a big community clear up event. Around 350 students litter picked in Loughborough to ensure that the platform is looked after and the flower beds are well maintained. A University owned hotel, The Link, has continued to get involved with the Bloom initiative and has asked that the three flower beds that were created last year to enhance the entrance and grounds of the hotel remain in place this year.

Loughborough helped Clean for the Queen in March along with local volunteers and the support of Serco and Quadron idverde. Throughout the weekend, litter picks and shop front makeovers took place at various locations across Loughborough including in Queen’s Park and the town centre.

Transition Loughborough organised a Potato Day in February at Loughborough Market. People could buy cheap seed potatoes to grow their own crops. They also arranged a seed swap at Fearon Hall Community Centre, where people brought their surplus seeds and exchanged them with other people. The seeds were harvested from previous year’s plants.

Each year competitions are run to engage new and existing contributors to Bloom. The Loughborough Echo’s annual Best Front Garden competition has been joined by the Spring Gardens competition. Both are going from strength to strength and see different competitors put their gardening gloves to the test to produce the best horticultural display. Businesses in the town are invited to take part in the Best Hotel or Pub Garden and Best Retailor and Commercial Premises competitions run by the Loughborough Business Improvement District and Chamber of Commerce.

Hardwick House, a school for children on the autism spectrum, invited neighbours Harry and Pat Cook of the Forest Road Green Belt Gardeners for a meal in February. During the meal, the school presented Harry and Pat with a cheque for £200 so that more bulbs and seeds could be purchased for the Forest Road Green Belt. Using the cheque, Harry and Pat purchased 1,000 aconites and 500 snowdrops.

Fearon Hall runs the Utilise Social Café in partnership with Enactus and Transition Loughborough. The café serves delicious meals for the community made from ingredients which would have otherwise gone to landfill. The project is supported by local supermarkets which supply the leftover products and the café operates on a ‘pay as you feel’ basis so it can be enjoyed by all.

From Left to Right: Loughborough University students at the big clear up event, Hardwick House, and Spring Garden Competition entry.


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Year-round InvolvementBloom participants are kept up-to-date of events taking place across the year through the Loughborough Echo and the Loughborough in Bloom website. Community groups meet regularly at the Bloom Community Participation Group.

Events that take place outside of the judging season continue and are embraced by the town to ensure that Loughborough continues to bloom all year round.

Harry Cook leads the town’s Christmas efforts, annually transforming his garden into a Santa’s grotto.

Spring is always a colourful time at Loughborough University. A yew tree was planted for the Magna Carter celebrations and a cherry tree has been donated to Queen’s Park.

Planting also took place at the Marios Tinenti Centre as they welcomed pansies that were no longer needed by the University gardeners.

In Summer, the University holds open days along its fruit routes. This year visitors learnt about Renga poetry, visited the bees and tried wild tea whilst walking along the fruit routes.

Other work throughout the year includes the Three Close Tenants Association which held a big planting day that saw more than thirty volunteers attend.

Transition Loughborough is looking to extend the University Fruit Routes out into the community. They have also worked with Fearon Hall on various initiatives including the Social Cafe, which provides nutritious meals using food donated by retailers that is past its sell-by date. The John Storer Charnwood Allotment now has activities every weekday and £300 has been raised from the sale of produce. Three fruit trees, an apple, a plum and a cherry have been planted close to the junction between Epinal Way and Beacon Road.

Left: Queen’s Park in Winter Below: Harry Cook’s Christmas Display and Fearon Hall Social Cafe. Bottom: Yew tree planting for the Magna Carter Celebrations.


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Funding & SupportThe Loughborough in Bloom campaign is underpinned by volunteers and keen gardeners who work to keep their area blossoming. Some volunteers have taken part since 2009, while this is the first year of entry for others.

Voluntary groups including Transition Loughborough, Charnwood Conservation Volunteers, Loughborough Tow Path Pickers and G&S Services who offer their support to many green causes too.

To boost the voluntary effort, Charnwood Borough Council, Serco, Quadron idverde, Leicestershire County Council and the Business Improvement District provide funding to ensure that Loughborough continues to Bloom. Some of the funding covers a range of initiatives, while others, such as that from Mike and Marj Jones, pay for hanging baskets or displays in specific areas. Individual community groups are also supported by sponsorship and assistance from local businesses, such as Hathern Nurseries, Pinnacle and B&Q.

Serco will sponsor a further £5000 towards the Bloom effort this year, while new supplier, Plantscape will sponsor a hanging basket tree in the town centre. The Markets and Fairs team at Charnwood Borough Council will also sponsor a hanging basket tree.

Local groups also raise funds by selling plants and items that they have created. John Storer House continues to sell plants to fund the cottage garden and allotment, to allow their Bloom efforts to be self-sufficient.

Photo Below: Beautiful Flower Beds in Queen’s Park – c/o Peter Minshall Photography.

Future PlansPlans for Loughborough in Bloom over the next year include:• Quadron will continue to work towards establishing more Green Flag green spaces and local nature reserves• More sustainable planting of beds


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Contributors

The Abbeyfield Loughborough Society

AllotmentsAshby Road Estates Green Fingers

Business Improvement District

Caroline Sharpe, Loughborough Carillon

Chapman Street Gardens

Charnwood Borough Council

Charnwood Conservation Volunteers

Corner Garden Community Group

Clear Cut Conservation

Emmanuel Church

Fearon Community Association

Forest Road Green Belt Gardeners

Freehold Street Bloomers

Friends of Queen’s Park

G & S Services

Garendon Green Gardeners

Glebe House Allotment Project

Great Central Railway

John Taylor Bell Foundry

John Storer Charnwood Allotment

John Storer House Cottage Garden

Knightthorpe Methodist Gardeners

Landscaping and Gardening Society (LAGS), Loughborough Students’ Union

Leicestershire County Council

Leicestershire & Rutland Fire Service

Loughborough Baptist Church

Loughborough Business Improvement District

Loughborough Chamber of Trade and Commerce

Loughborough Crematorium - Dignity Funerals LTD

Loughborough District Scouts

Loughborough Echo

Loughborough Endowed Schools

Loughborough All Saints Parish Church Garden Group

Loughborough Tow Path Pickers

Loughborough University

Loughborough URC

Marios Tinenti Centre

Peter Le Marchant Trust

Peter Minshall, Photographer

Plantscape

Primary Schools of Loughborough

Quadron Services Ltd

Rockingham Road Gardeners

Serco

Shelthorpe Community Association

Sidings Park Area Residents’ Association

Student Action Volunteers

Thorpe Acre Residents Association

Three Close Tenants’ Association

Transition Loughborough – Community Allotment

Transition Loughborough – Community Orchard

Val Wilson Court Gardening Group

Warwick Way Action Group (WAGS)

Hardwick House Gardeners

Staveley Court Gardeners

Holt Drive Quad

Wolsey Way Gardeners

The Secret Garden

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