WINYATES Centre is looking blooming lovely after the community came together to brighten up the popular thoroughfare with planters filled with beautiful flowers.
The initiative, which came from local residents, was led by the Grow Redditch Project with support from National Lottery Awards for All, One Stop Carriers for Causes, and Redditch Borough Council and its Place Team.
And despite the current heatwave Liz Williams, manager of Reach CIC which co-ordinated the scheme, said the flowers were looking glorious.
“The planters are being watered every day by local residents and the plants are being dead-headed to make sure they keep on blooming,” she said.
“More than 50 people came along to help when we brought the planters in, filling them with soil and then putting the plants in.
“We even had children carrying hot water bottles filled with water as they couldn’t lift the watering cans.”
The community is taking pride in what they’ve achieved too.
“We’ve had lots of positive comments about how beautiful they are, with older residents pointing out what the plants are and how to care for them,” added Liz.
The initiative is the first phase in a three step programme which with also see the creation of a sensory garden and then, in partnership with Winyates Playgroup, an edible garden.
Winyates has a large number of flats and many residents have no outside space of their own.
The aim is to not only make the centre more attractive but also give locals a shared sense of ownership.
“It really is about getting people to feel proud of their centre and the hope is that, as and when the funding comes available, we can move out from the centre and expand the project further,” added Liz.
