TVC & Bidston Village go for Gold in a National Competition

A FLORALLY-transformed Bidston Village is going for gold in the North West in Bloom challenge.

Three years of horticultural endeavour by schoolchildren, students, the local church, residents and the local authority have created a kaleidoscope of colour across the village – ranging from a scheme to beautify the local war memorial to a simple basket of flowers on an old bicycle leaning against a wall.

Advancement to gold from last year's silver award in the best small village category is the aim of villagers – to secure a place in next year's Britain in Bloom competition. 

Bidston Cllr Jim Crabtree, one of the driving forces behind the initiative, said the village now resembled "a floral extravaganza."He revealed: "We have had thousands of people travelling to look round the village. There has been a total transformation since we had our first heritage day four years ago".

Cllr Crabtree, who is a tutor in horticulture at The Vocational College in Wheatland Lane, Wallasey, said local organisers had taken heed of observations from the North West in Bloom judges to involve local schools, colleges and community organisations in their quest.  He said: "We invited children from Bidston Primary School to put their ideas forward and we adopted three of them – a rising sun display outside St Oswald’s church; a children’s bedroom in flowers at Ivy Farm and the war memorial project. 

"We are also in the process of creating a woodland at Lennox Lane. We have already planted 600 trees; a further 400 will be planted next month with a further 400 going in next March. "Early setbacks involving the theft of hanging baskets from village lampposts were overcome with the purchase of specially-designed "wrap-around"baskets which proved to be a deterrent to thieves.The winners of floral challenge will be announced in Southport on Thursday 20th October 2011.

Pictured are students from Bidston Promary School with their display outside St Oswald's Church