A GROUP of retired allotment holders have once again come to the rescue of West Auckland’s in-bloom gardeners.
The volunteer group that keeps the village looking its best all year round was left in the lurch last year when their regular suppliers of seedlings and bulbs closed, but fortunately allotment holders at St Helen Auckland came to the rescue by providing free flowers.
Ahead of their autumn planting, members of West Auckland-in-Bloom turned to them again to buy their petunias and spring bulbs of tulips and daffodils.
Jean Pattison, from the group, said: “All of our flowers are from the village and the allotment holders in St Helens. They are basically retired gentlemen and they helped us out last year.”
Sadly, the group are no longer able to enter the Northumbria-in-Bloom competition, where they have earned a silver-gilt award in the past.
Ms Pattison said: “It is too much to do. There are only 12 of us and we have just lost one of our friends who died. It was hard work for us to do the edges and sweep the roads at our age. We will see if we can get the schools to help in the summer.”
Fellow organiser Audrey Beck said: “Oakley Cross School has been excellent – their headteacher is really nice and community-minded. Like us they got silver-gilt last year.”
The latest planting received a £150 boost from local firm Tomlinson Longstaff electrical contractors. People can support the group’s other fundraising activities by attending a pie and peas night at the village’s parish hall on November 10, and an afternoon tea, also at the parish hall, on December 1.
