Getting trough to put Rubery in bloom

Buy photos » Volunteer Elizabeth Oakley is joined by Worcestershire County Councillor Peter McDonald and Bromsgrove District Councillor Christine McDonald with the planters. Picture by Marcus Mingins 2412007MMR

A FIVE-YEAR plan is underway to get Rubery blooming like never before.

The Rubery in Bloom scheme, which was started in the autumn, is aimed at making the whole of the village more picturesque than ever so it can enter the Heart of England in Bloom competition.

In autumn, 1,000 bulbs were planted in grass verges.

And recently, 32 troughs, with the help of the area’s Reaside Clinic and St Chad’s Youth Centre, have been planted up and placed beneath road signs in a number of streets, from Rednal Hill Lane near the Birmingham border and the top of Beacon Hill, along the Eachway to St Chad’s Park.

It all started when a suggestion was made for Rubery to work towards entering Heart of England in Bloom.

Stan Hawksford put it to the Neighbourhood Watch, of which he is a member, and a Rubery in Bloom committee was formed. There is now a five-year plan to get the whole of the Rubery area blooming, including New Road. The next section of the plan is for wildflowers to be planted out in Whetty Lane.

Mr Hawksford said it all started last year after Bromsgrove District Council’s community department held the Rubery clean-up day.

“We have already had some fantastic feedback - people were coming us to us as we were planting out the troughs and telling us how good it looked.

“And this is just a small area, we want to extend it to the whole village.

“It’s not just about the flowers, it’s about bringing the community together.”

Rubery in Bloom is looking for other residents to come forward and get involved to help make the village look better than it has ever done before.

Plans are also in place to have for a Rubery in Bloom website - it is hoped that will be up and running by the end of July.

Anyone wanting to find out more or volunteer can call chairman Stan Hawksford on 0121 453 9675 or vice-chairman Lorna Ockendon on 0121 453 2682.

The first assessment by the Heart of England in Bloom judges will be on July 19.

Regional news »