July is the time when much of our flora is at its best, this year I have become familiar with Storrington’s local ‘In Bloom’ group and gained real insight into the vast amounts of work that their volunteers put in to making the local area look beautiful. As judging day in Storrington descends it is a perfect opportunity to reflect on their efforts to date.
I spoke to chairperson, Jo Newington, to find out about the history of the group: “Storrington’s first In Bloom entry came about during one of the village’s business breakfast meetings. We were trying to find ways to make our high street more appealing. To complement the existing planters on the High Street, which are maintained by local group Greenfingers, it was decided we should encourage traders to have hanging baskets and then someone suggested we should find out what it took to enter into the national competition. I phoned to make enquiries and before I knew it I’d entered us! Three months of madness followed for our 2012 entry!” The national competition Jo refers to is South & South East in Bloom (SSEIB) and Storrington is entered in to the “small town” category. Jo goes on to say: “I was absolutely stunned to discover during that first year how many groups this small town actually has working tirelessly to make a difference – the true unsung heroes. We had great success that first year being awarded a Silver and by early 2013 our team had grown substantially. The volunteers needed a more formal structure and I was named as chairperson.”
Storrington prepares
I went on to learn that In Bloom planning starts right after judging. The judges provide the team with comprehensive feedback on the day and in a follow up and this is taken on board for the following year. Last year the team were awarded a Silver Gilt award and this year they are striving for Gold. Feedback from the judges last year indicated key areas of focus for this year’s competition. These included the involvement of more young people, more ‘wow factor’ in the street planting and a greater participation in the overall SSEIB competition in other categories.
Jo, together with her trusted team which includes secretary, David Wright, immediately set about focusing on these improvement areas. Jo used her links with the schools to encourage them to enter the ‘Blooming Schools’ competition and get involved in some planting and painting projects. The team also set about creating a youth group category in the annual Storrington in Bloom awards and encouraging various groups to enter. Seven wheelbarrows were planted and now take pride of place on the bus stand in the village centre.
David set about jumping through the very many hoops required to install planters on the lamp posts along the main streets in the village. “Hoping for a ‘wow’ factor, the decision was made to go for these planters,” David recalls, “we had already been advised that we could not put them on posts that had a parking restriction sign on them, so we arrived at 14 lamp posts which seemed acceptable. A map of their locations and a detailed list of their numbers, were sent to both Scottish & Southern Electric (SSE), who owned the lamp posts and the Parish Council, from whom SSE required approval. SSE then asked us to seek clearance from West Sussex County Council, who own the pavement the posts sit in, the process for which would take at least 3 months! Thankfully a helpful officer in Highways eventually found a way forward and a written agreement was almost in place… until they decided we had to make sure that planning permission was not required! In the meantime SSE had also informed us the lamp posts had to be tested by a structural engineer to confirm their structural integrity and ‘windage’! After approaching three firms of structural surveyors who declined to do the survey I was given details of a small company in Dorset that specialised in this process. They visited, tested each lamp post and declared them healthy – this cost us £420! So, to Horsham District Council to check if planning permission would be required – they expected 28 days to handle a ‘planning enquiry’. By this time we were ready to plant and install them! Eventually, the blockage was cleared and I now have the mountain of emails and agreements to prove that we are authorised to install planters on the 14 specified lamp posts!”
Having been surprised by the prices of the planters, the team had a lucky break when Horsham District Council offered to sell them 26 pre-owned ones at a cheaper price. Thankfully for David, now that the approval has been given, he won’t be going through this process again. “We got there in the end,” he says “and our displays look wonderful, let’s hope the judges are suitably wowed!”
The SSEIB competition includes a number of categories, the Storrington in Bloom team enter the small town category and prepare a portfolio, presentation and tour for the judges. In addition this year SSEIB have seen entries from Storrington First School (Blooming Schools), St Mary’s Church (Churchyard), Castle Bungalows (It’s Your Neighbourhood) and Riverside Walk (Conservation Area). Judging for all entries is currently underway and results will be delivered at a special awards ceremony in the Amex Stadium which does not take place until September.
Storrington’s own competition with categories for allotment, business window display,
business external floral display, community area and front garden, as well as the youth group wheelbarrow competition is also currently being judged by a mix of expert judges and public vote. An awards ceremony for this competition is also being planned for September.
Whilst the rest of Storrington enjoys the products of the past year’s efforts, Jo acknowledges the efforts of all of the team: “We have an amazing team of volunteers who assist with a multitude of tasks including the more manual jobs of litter picking, weeding, planting and growing all our seedlings. There are also plenty of admin jobs including arranging and promoting our fund raisers, preparing our judging entry and tying up all the health & safety/legal aspect. We also have volunteers who work with the local schools, photographers documenting all our achievements and the most amazing cakes are baked to reward all the hard work at the end of our clean up days.
We have already started making preparations for our 2015 entry. We have a number of fundraising ideas in the pipeline and are working with the schools on our chosen theme. We have also been approached by the local council to assist with a number of projects they have for the village.”
I must say that Storrington looks bloomin’ marvellous right now – if your town or village doesn’t currently enter the SSEIB competition and you want to set up a group in your area, why not give it a go? To find out more about Storrington in Bloom visit their website at www.storringtoninbloom.co.uk – the team would be delighted to hear from you.
Photos supplied by Storrington in Bloom and BeUnveiled