Community

Claygate in Bloom

CLAYGATE: BLOOMING AGAIN IN 2009 

Success – a Silver Gilt Award

Many of  you will be aware that in 2008 the judges of South and Southeast in  Bloom gave Claygate a Silver Gilt Award which represented an  improvement from the High Silver Award of 2007. Justifiably, this new  achievement made us all feel very proud of our village and reflected  all the efforts, both seen and unseen, of the many volunteers involved  in the task of further improving our village appearance and environment  through the Claygate in Bloom initiative.

Tangible Results

No doubt,  you have noticed many of the visible signs of these efforts resulting  in the notable improvements in Claygate over the last year, such as:

- the replanting of part of the Village Green (in conjunction with our Parish Council);

-  the planting of shrubs on the corner of the Torrington Lodge Car Park;  and also on the perimeter of the site fronting the Hare Lane Car Park;

- the hanging baskets along Church Road as well as the panniers outside the Foley Arms;

- the new trees (many given by residents) on street verges in residential areas (in conjunction with our Parish Council);

-  the burst of colour within the Recreation Ground last spring as a  result of the planting of 3000 daffodil bulbs the previous autumn (in  conjunction with Claygate Village Association).

These  achievements were made possible by generous financial support from our  Parish, Borough and County Councils and many local businesses.

Projects 2009

The  awards we have won over the last two years area are a true testimony of  our achievements and vindicate the effort made to date. These awards,  of course, are a means to an end, which is to improve and sustain the  appearance and environment of our village.

Accordingly,  this year we shall be aiming to do at least as well as in 2008, while  at the same time enjoying the warmth and camaraderie of existing and  new friendships that go hand in hand with such an effort.

In its  efforts to focus on areas for improvement throughout the village,  Claygate in Bloom’s major project this year will be the redesign and  planting of part of the triangle of land between Foley Road and Coverts  Road. It will also be involved with the Parish Council in finishing the  replanting of the Village Green and planting of nine new street trees,  many of which have been donated by residents.

Volunteers  have already planted 2000 daffodil bulbs in the verge fronting the Hare  Lane Car Park and 1000 crocus bulbs in the bank on the corner of Oaken  Lane and Hare Lane. The tubs along The Parade and Hare Lane were also  replanted for the winter.

Additionally,  we hope to help the 1st Claygate Scout Group to organise a project to  celebrate their centenary this year … so much is planned for 2009!

Objective and Commitment – 2009

 

Purpose

All of  these projects reflect the overall aim of Claygate in Bloom to improve  the appearance of the village and to enhance its environment with the  vital help and support of the village community. This will do much to  ensure that Claygate continues to be a special place in which to live  and raise a family.

Commitment

Many  villagers are involved in helping to achieve this main objective and it  is hoped that many more will come forward this year to give a small  amount of their time to meet this end. We hope you are one of them,  assuming, of course, that you are not already committed. A contribution  from each one of us, no matter how small, will collectively ensure that  our objective is met and sustained.

The  criteria for judging the competition are: Horticultural Achievement,  Environmental Responsibility and Community Participation. In all of  these areas, residents of Claygate can make a real impact and this is  the time of year when our thoughts must turn to consideration of what  we can do, as individuals, to help Claygate “bloom” in 2009.

Contribution

As  already mentioned, the success of Claygate in Bloom depends entirely on  its volunteers: groups who look after specific public spaces in the  village, individuals who volunteer their time to design a planting  scheme for an area, residents who routinely and quietly pick up litter  in their neighbourhoods, those who enter the Best Front Garden  competition, those who water and weed the tubs, those members of the  Parish Council’s Green Team and the many residents of Claygate, young  and old, who turn out for the Clean-up Days. These are only some of the  many contributions being made by both residents and businesses to make  Claygate an even better place in which to live and work.

How can you get Involved?

Competitions

These are great fun and consist of:

Best Kept Front Garden:  Enter your garden into this free competition; judging will be held in  early July and the winner will receive the Norman Jones Cup presented  at the Claygate Flower and Village Show on July 18th.

The Blooming Pub Competition:  Judging will take place during the first week in July and the winner  will be presented with the Claygate Computers Trophy at the Flower Show.

The Tallest Sunflower Competition: seeds will be available from March and judging will be held at the end of September.

For all competitions, contact Carol Manley, tel. 462571, email: carol@manley.me.uk

Schools  will also be participating in the annual Claygate in Bloom poster  competition with a wildlife theme this year: “Protect My Habitat”.

Improving Appearance and Environment

GREEN TEAM:  Volunteer you services to help the Parish Council’s Green Team to  maintain our public spaces (contact Vanessa Relleen, tel. 463740,  email: vanessa@relleen.clara.co.uk)

ADOPT A SPOT:  With friends and neighbours, volunteer to look after an area near your  home or nearby common land by removing litter, pulling weeds and maybe  even planting an extra flower or two (contact Margaret Emery, tel. 462719, email: margtemery@aol.com)

HUG-A-TUB:  Volunteer to water, weed and deadhead one of the tubs which brighten up  The Parade and the Hare Lane slip road (contact Charlotte Banks, tel.  467122)

PLANT SALE: Contribute any of your unwanted plants to our plant sale to be held on Saturday, May 9th (contact Judy Forster, tel. 463137, email: forster_home@yahoo.co.uk)

CLEAN-UP DAYS:  Turn out with family and friends for the Clean up Claygate Days which  are to be held in April and September. (Watch the community notice  boards for more details)

Other Forms of Support

Financial  contributions, any amount welcome, to Claygate in Bloom can also be  made and you may even wish to donate a street tree for your  neighbourhood (contact Vanessa Relleen or Margie Richardson, email:  dandmrichardson@dsl.pipex.com).

A  new initiative of Claygate in Bloom this year will be “Gems of  Claygate” in which we ask you to nominate a public area of Claygate  that a resident has bettered by virtue of his or her personal efforts  (contact Rukshana Master, tel. 466073, email: jehanmaster@yahoo.co.uk).

Lastly,  a portfolio is essential to the Claygate in Bloom competition and we  are in need of any photos or information that illustrate community  activities or improvements over the past year (contact Jenny Boff,  email: francis@boff32.freeserve.co.uk).

Your First Step?

As a  resident of Claygate, you can make a real contribution to Claygate in  Bloom’s worthy campaign by providing support to one of the activities  listed above ... whatever you can do will be much appreciated. It’s  also the opportunity to meet new people, renew old friendships and have  lots of fun in the process! And what can be more rewarding than our  community working together towards the common goal of making Claygate  an even better place in which to live, both for the present and the  future? Here’s to a Blooming Claygate in 2009!

(If  you have any ideas which you would like to share with the Claygate in  Bloom Committee as to possible areas or projects for the improvement of  Claygate, please contact the Chairman, Vanessa Relleen, tel. 463740.  All committee members can be reached at the email address:  inbloom@claygate.info)