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Ross-on-Wye

Thanks from the Chairman

Dear Editor

I would like to take the opportunity through yourselves to thank everyone who helped with the Ross-in-Bloom entry into Heart of England in Bloom last month.

The judges were delighted with the warm welcome they received as well as the community spirit that abounded throughout the town on the day.

I will be travelling to Wolverhampton on 15th September to see how we got on and will let everyone know the result as soon as I get it.

There are too many people to thank individually so please accept a “block booking” so to speak.

You all know who you are – no matter how large or small a contribution.

Our Pig’s Alley project went down very well and I am hopeful that our Blake’s Garden Project will also do well.

Mary Powell hopes to travel to Solihull on 8th September to get the results for this entry.

The Chase Hotel is also an entrant and I wish them all the very best again this year. They did a wonderful job of hosting the judges once again and on the day their gardens were superb – the best I have seen them for a long time.

Thank you all again. Please keep your fingers crossed for all the results.

Margaret Lucas

Chairman
Ross-in-Bloom

Work Continues At Blake’s Memorial Garden

Members of the Blake’s Memorial Gardens Workforce are eagerly awaiting the results of how they got on last month in the Britain in Bloom Campaign. The results will be announced in Solihull on 8th September.

The judges for “It’s Your neighbourhood” sounded very impressed with the work carried out so far, so the team are looking forward to a good result.

Like Ross-in-Bloom this is a continuing project throughout the year, especially as there will still be a lot of work needed there to get it looking good for the Diamond Jubilee next Summer.

It is hoped that during the Jubilee Weekend Celebrations the team will hold some sort of event in the gardens to help with this memorable occasion.

Further to the continuing work there will be designated work parties on Sundays as before. However anyone who wishes to can visit between times and let either Mary Sinclair Powell or Caroline Utting know how many hours they have worked there and when. These hours go towards matched funding for grants etc, so are very important to log into the records. Just keep a note of when you have worked and how long and pass it on periodically.

The work required at the moment is general maintenance and tidying on a regular basis. If anyone has not worked there before and would like to lend a hand please let Mary or Caroline know and they will book you into the scheme of things (for insurance purposes). Tools are available from members of the team during designated working parties, but between times volunteers will need to supply their own tools such as brooms, trowels, secateurs, etc. However Mary is looking into leaving litter pickers with one of the houses in Wye Street as they are not something that is usually hanging around a home garden shed!

The next designated working parties are between 10.15am and 12.30pm on 14th and 28th August, 11th and 25th September and 9th and 23rd October. Decisions on what needs to be done for the winter will then be made and advertised in the local press and websites.

Ross-in-Bloom and the Blake’s Project Team would like to thank everyone for their sterling work to date and hope that it will continue for the future.

Further information can be found on the display boards in the gardens themselves.

Heart Of England In Bloom Visit Ross

Mark Wiltshire, Roger Bache and David Franks visited Ross last week to assess the town in the Heart of England in Bloom Campaign. Herefordshire Amey had been out since early morning making sure the town was clean and tidy, as well as local traders and volunteers.

Starting at the Chase Hotel they drove to the Churchyard accompanied by Margaret Lucas, Chairman and Lyn Tomlinson, Vice Chairman. From the car very kindly loaned for the day by Charmaine Danter they were able to take in the efforts put in to make Ross look clean and tidy and the sunshine made the whole town glow. They were able to admire the Dressed Windows as well as the flags and baskets hanging from the fronts of the shops. Throughout their visit they met with many people who are involved in Ross-in-Bloom as well as residents and traders along the route. They were very impressed with the community spirit that abounds in the town on occasions such as this visit.

They were also delighted to be welcomed to Ross by the Carnival Princess in Wye Street and the Mayor who was fund raising for his charity SSAFA at the Market House. This charity market is an annual event and this year Ross-in-Bloom joined forces with the Royal British Legion to hold the event to raise money for Forces Charities and groups as well as local ones such as St Michael’s Hospice, the Majorettes and the Chestnuts. Members of the British Legion were on hand to welcome them to Ross and Margaret Jones was able to explain why they had joined with Ross-in-Bloom this year and how the colour scheme in the town was linked to the Flames of Remembrance for their 90th anniversary.

The judges spent some time admiring the work in both Pigs’ Alley and the Blake’s Memorial Gardens which are Ross-in-Bloom current community projects. The ladies of the John Kyrle Club were on hand to offer tea and cake as refreshments during a very warm afternoon which went down very well. In Blake’s Garden they helped to judge the overall winner of the Ross Gazette Shield in the Children’s Scarecrow Competition.

At the Phoenix Theatre they greatly admired the work of the John Kyrle High School students where a display of their work was being held this year. Anyone who wishes to see the work will be able to view it at the theatre for themselves during the next few weeks.

The judges also did walkabouts in the Garden of Remembrance, the Churchyard and the Prospect and as always admire the community work there as well as the superb beds planted by Herefordshire Amey and of course the magnificent view across the horseshoe bend. It was lovely to be able to tell them the Beacon would be part of the lighting up next year for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee.

Conservation is always high on the agenda and this was particularly in evidence along the riverside walk in both Wye Street and at the rear of the swimming pool area.

The roundabouts planted by Ross Garden Store were also a particular favourite as well as the new tree planting and landscaping at Morrisons.

Ross-in-Bloom have to provide and itinerary for the day and to round off the visit the judges were surprised with an unexpected visit to the gardens at the Larruperz Centre and the Ryefield Centre. Some of the special needs people who plant the Ryefield garden were on hand to tell them all about how they rotate the crops as well as how the garden has been devised.

Following their return to the Chase Hotel, the manager Mr Colin Purcell escorted the judges around the grounds as part of the Britain in Bloom Best kept Hotel Gardens Campaign. They got top marks last year and hope to do the same again this year.

Ross-in-Bloom work all year round to prepare for the judges’ visit as it not only is an assessment of the day itself but also a judgement on what the town has done during the year. There are plenty of categories to cover as well as flowers, such as community involvement, conservation, weed control, recycling, litter picking and Ross-in-Bloom make up boards to display everything that has been done since their last visit as well as the places where they cannot go in the short time allowed. Anyone who wishes to see the displays can do so on the carnival field.

Ross-in-Bloom were delighted that the visit went so well and looking forward to finding out how well the town did in September when representatives will travel to Wolverhampton for the awards ceremony.

Giving her overall impression on the visit Margaret Lucas said she was delighted at how well it all went. “Despite the ups and downs, and a few last minute disasters a visit like this has during the previous weeks, I was very pleased to see so many people and so much colour around the town” she said. “Ross was spotless and I would like to thank everyone who did their bit to make the visit an enjoyable and light hearted occasion”. “Everyone knows who they are” she added “so to avoid embarrassment of leaving people out at times such as these please accept a blanket thank you on behalf of myself and my team who once again pulled out all the stops.”.

Ross-in-Bloom - Winners

Ross in Bloom
Ross in Bloom
(Click for a larger image)
Heart of England in Bloom
Heart of England in Bloom
(Click for a larger image)

Winners Of The Best Dressed Windows For 2011

The Town has been greatly brightened up by the efforts of the traders and charities making the effort to decorate their windows for Ross in Bloom. Below are the prize winners:

TRADERS

Gold (Joint) and the Leadership Trust Trophey

  • RUBY TUESDAY
  • LIKES


Silver Gilt

  • PARKFIELDS
  • COUNTY COLLECTION
  • GEORGE NICHOLLS
  • ESSENTIAL SEWING
  • CUSHTY
  • HALLMARK CARDS


Silver

  • JD’S
  • BAM BOOZLED
  • LITTLE CHIC
  • PEDLARS NEST

CHARITY

Gold and the Sinclair Powell Trophy

  • OXFAM


Silver Gilt

  • BARNADOS
  • SUE RYDER


The Heart of England Judges will visit Ross on Tuesday 26th July 2011.

The route and times are as follows:

14.00 Arrive at Chase Hotel
Opening discussions with the Judges.
14.15 Gloucester Road to Church Street
Drive along Gloucester Road to Market House and High Street to Church Street looking at the commercial hanging baskets, displays and local authority planting.
This will also looking at Best Dressed Windows, RiB flags, commemorative planted boxes and conservation projects by the local authority to tidy up shop fronts with heritage involvement.
14.20 Walk through Churchyard
Part of the “Walk of the Arts of Ross”
This will cover local authority planting and maintenance, PCC planting and maintenance and the sponsored gates newly renovated and re-hung after Prospect repairs and alterations.
14.25 Garden of Remembrance and the Prospect
GoR - Local Community Project handed over by RiB from their 5 year project 5 years ago.
Prospect - Owned by the local community donated in perpetuity to the town by Thomas Blake in 1900 now maintained by the local authority. Butterfly Walk maintained by Local authority – previous RiB project.
14:45 Phoenix Theatre
A community theatre owned by the Phoenix Theatre Company situated in the Original Ross-on-Wye Fire Station. Annual Exhibition of the John Kyrle High School Exam Art Work for RiB 2011.
14:50 Palace Pound, Wilton Road and into Wye Street
A drive around looking at Local Authority maintained highways, car park area and parkland area with recreational facilities.
14:50 Wye Street
RiB Copse of trees, land given to RiB for Commemorative trees in memory of local people.
Press Call Wye Street Planted Boat (bandstand if wet) - this was originally donated by Sea Cadets.
Bandstand built by Lions in 2000 with ashes of past bondspersons in the foundations. Money raised too by Mayors Project towards the costs. Adopted by Ross Town Council.
15:10 Blake's Garden
A new project for 2011.
RiB rejuvenating gardens with help and fundraising of local residents and sponsorship by local garden centre and landscapers.
15:12 Children’s Competition
Make a Scarecrow for 2011 - Judges will be asked to choose the overall winner from the best in each age group who will be presented with the Ross Gazette Shield at a later time.
15:27 Pigs Alley
3rd Year of project by members of RiB to clean up historic conservation area. Painting and planting done by members of RiB and volunteers. Paint supplied by local grants and donation. John Kyrle Rooms open for members afternoon tea to meet the judges.
15:42 Market House
Involvement Members of local groups holding market stalls today under the umbrella of Royal British Legion.
15:50 Swimming Pool
Look at the planting and Totem pole, conservation planting by Herefordshire Wildlife Trust and local authority Murals painted by local students etc to enhance the Riverside Walk in this are of Ross Guide Hut project on gardens led by Ross Garden Store.
16.00 Brookend Street, Millpond Street and Station Approach
Looking at Local authority planting, sponsored boxes, special needs home to right planting, new planting at Morrisons - Local (Sponsor) Garden Store planting on Roundabout and local recycling centre.
16:05 Larruperz Centre and Ryefield Centre
Look at 2 Community centres formed from the old Grammar School
Look at Larruperz Centre walled garden area - Community garden used by all including the attached Playgroup
Look at Ryefield Centre Gardens - Community Garden managed by the local Special needs groups
16:30 Return to Chase Hotel
Final discussions at the Chase Hotel and Judge Chase Hotel in the Hotel Category of BiB.

Ross-in-Bloom - Pigs Alley

Ross in Bloom
Ross in Bloom
(Click for a larger image)
Heart of England in Bloom
Heart of England in Bloom
(Click for a larger image)

Ross in Bloom - Sue Holland in Pigs Alley
Ross in Bloom - Sue Holland in Pigs Alley
(Click for a larger image)

As part of the Ross in Bloom Project, Pigs Alley has been tidied up and painted. It was then suggested that this would be the perfect canvas for graffiti artists so Sue Holland, who was responsible for tidying up the alley, decided to add her own graffiti. The shops in the town got behind this and have sponsored the artwork and Sue has tailored each image to depict the trade of the shops.

Ross in Bloom are also responsible for the major tidy up that is occurring at the Thomas Blake Memorial Garden on Wye Street.

RiB is a group of volunteers seeking to make Ross a better place to live, work and visit. The helpers are of all ages and abilities and their aim is to promote a feeling of pride and well-being in the community. They are always seeking new volunteers so if you can spare any time then please get in touch with Margaret Lucas, Chairman of Ross-in-Bloom, at Lucas Motorcycles on Brookend Street.


Ross in Bloom - Callwoods
Ross in Bloom - Callwoods
(Click for a larger image)

Ross in Bloom - Linden House
Ross in Bloom - Linden House
(Click for a larger image)

The Heart of England in Bloom Judges, supported by the Heart of England Tourist Board, will be visiting Ross-on-Wye for their annual judging on Tuesday 26th July 2011 and Thursday 28th July 2011.

Ross in Bloom - Tudor Sweets
Ross in Bloom - Tudor Sweets
(Click for a larger image)

Ross in Bloom - Ross Town Council
Ross in Bloom - Ross Town Council
(Click for a larger image)
Ross in Bloom - Ross Old Books
Ross in Bloom - Ross Old Books
(Click for a larger image)

Ross in Bloom - Ross Court
Ross in Bloom - Ross Court
(Click for a larger image)
Ross in Bloom - Pots and Pieces
Ross in Bloom - Pots and Pieces
(Click for a larger image)

Ross in Bloom - Flying Pigs
Ross in Bloom - Flying Pigs
(Click for a larger image)
Ross in Bloom - Pigs Building
Ross in Bloom - Pigs Building
(Click for a larger image)

Ross in Bloom - H.E.Phillips
Ross in Bloom - H.E.Phillips
(Click for a larger image)
Ross in Bloom - G.D.Parker & Co
Ross in Bloom - G.D.Parker & Co
(Click for a larger image)

Ross in Bloom - Colemans
Ross in Bloom - Colemans
(Click for a larger image)



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[Page updated: Aug 21 2011 20:10:07]






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