Brierley Hill set to bloom
Brierley Hill will be in full bloom this summer as volunteers help plant flowers to spruce up the town.
The popular Brierley Hill in Bloom is back for the eighth year running and is organised by Brierley Hill Community Forum with the support of local organisations including Dudley Council and Dudley College.
Dudley College has kindly covered the cost of some of the flowers, which have already been planted by students and staff members along the High Street this week.
An arch of flowers has been installed at St Mary’s Church thanks to Top Church Training, Harry’s and the Connect Project.
Throughout the town there are a number of ‘Wellie Planters’ being displayed by local traders which have been made by Top Church Training volunteers, with help from Dudley Council’s adult and community learning team.
A cascade of knitted flowers is also being installed at the War Memorial.
The flowers have been knitted and crafted by volunteers from Top Church Training, adult learners and staff from who are based at the Brierley Hill Neighbourhood Learning Centre and a group of learners based at Woodside Methodist Church.
The flowers not only celebrate the launch of Brierley Hill in Bloom but also the Platinum Jubilee and the nearing completion of the phase two works at Brierley Hill War Memorial and Church Hill Gardens, which is being funded through the High Street Heritage Action Zone (HAZ).
Further colour will be added at the War Memorial at the beginning of June with new planters of purple and white flowers and sedum, which will turn red in time for Remembrance.
Hoops of sustainable flowers made by children at Brierley Hill Primary School will be displayed in shop units in the town and also at the War Memorial.
The hoops have been created once again with the support of learners and staff from the neighbourhood learning centre.
Dudley Council, through the High Street HAZ project has provided a portable water container to help Brierley Hill Community Forum water and maintain the flowers over the summer.
Councillor Shaz Saleem, cabinet member for highways and public realm, said:
Brierley Hill in Bloom has community spirit written all over it. It’s great to see people of all ages getting involved and taking pride in the area they live.
Huge credit to everyone involved in making this happen, whether it’s helping to make something or plant something. It all helps.
We’re really pleased to be able to support this initiative again this year.
Shane Birch-Bastock from Brierley Hill Community Forum, said:
Brierley Hill In Bloom has been made possible thanks to the hard work of Dudley College students and volunteers in the local community and from funding and support made available from Dudley College, Historic England and Dudley Council through the High Street Heritage Action Zone and from ERDF through the Welcome Back Fund.
We plan to build on our success and add more and more planters over the next few years.