COMMUNITY gardeners in Middleton-in-Teesdale are expected to complete a fortnight of tub planting to beautify the village ahead of Northumbria-in-Bloom judging next month.
The village’s colourful summer display has twice won gold as well as silver gilt in recent years, although last year’s competition was called off
because of Covid-19 restrictions.
Now volunteers are hoping a visit by Durham County Council’s Find It and Fix It team later this month will help them to reach a top accolade again.
Judges will be inspecting the village on July 21.
Middleton-in-Bloom organiser Pam Phillips said the work she hopes county officers will carry out includes refurbishing bollards and lampposts and replacing “tatty dog waste signs” .
She added: “We asked the team to clean road directional signs and to straighten, clean and repaint the public convenience sign, or even better, replace it.”
There is also concern about a Visit County Durham information board.
Mrs Phillips said: “We’ve heard back from Visit County Durham and they said they will paint it and asked if we know who could do the work. So, we are looking for someone local who can refurbish it.”
Mrs Phillips added: “We have been frantically digging out the spring bulbs and we are about half way through the summer planting. We will do our best for the judging – everyone wants gold but it’s not always feasible. We would like to encourage everyone to be around and welcome our judges when they come.”
Anyone with handyman skills who can help with the Visit County Durham sign can contact Mrs Phillips at phillips.cassellbank@btinter
net.com.
