Features and Reviews
Pride in Brixham
celebrates gardening awards!
At this year's Bay
Blooms Awards, Pride in Brixham received several certificates,
the ‘clubs' cup and Brixham in Bloom Shield for their efforts
over the past year to enhance the environment around the Harbour
of Brixham, which has included several planting projects and
their work on the new Mayflower Garden just beyond King's Quay.
Pride in Brixham is
a volunteer group that sets out to help upgrade and maintain
the environment in and around Brixham, focussing to date most
of its efforts on painting and gardening schemes around the
harbour, from the Marina Walkway to Oxen Cove. At the Bay Blooms
Awards this year, held at Paignton Zoo on October 13th, the
Group's hard work was recognised as they received the Brooks
Taylor Cup for the First Prize in the ‘clubs' category, gaining
them free entry into Plant World. |
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They also received a runner's up certificate for the Best Community
Environment Project as voted by the readers of the Herald Express,
with Youngs Park People Paington taking first place. Finally in
the special awards for 2009 they received the Smallridge Shield,
one of the two Brixham in Bloom Awards given, with Brixham resident
Rose Boyd receiving the other in the form of the Smallridge Cup.
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Pride in Brixham spokesperson Mary Thompson said,” We were surprised
and thrilled to receive so many awards this year and we are particularly
pleased that our hard work on the Mayflower Garden has contributed
to the environmental awards we have received.” |
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Pride in Brixham
members, including Mary Thompson, Mike Hammond, Pat Hammond,
Sylvia Savage, Steven Clutterbuck, Jan Kimble, Barrie Topley
and Gillie Topley became involved in the Mayflower Garden when
they joined Brixham in Bloom Committee meetings.
Together with John
Smith, Ann and Peter Jones, Andrew McCoryn of the National Trust
Garden's at Coleton Fish Acre and Lindsay Evans Torbay Parks
Development officer, they decided that they wanted to develop
the piece of land on Marina Walkway which was once a part of
Uphams Shipyard. |
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It was here that the replica Mayflower was built by local craftsmen
in 1956/57 and when the ship was launched she left Brixham for
Plymouth, where it sailed from to retrace the original voyage
of the Pilgrim Fathers in 1620. Today the ship is still a visitor's
attraction in Plymouth Massachusetts. |
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Thus plans were drawn up for the Mayflower Garden in 2008 and
work began 2009 thanks to a grant from Grassroots and 80 tons
of top soil donated by local farmer Richard Haddock. In fact the
work was made possible by the donations of many businesses and
residents including Dean and Dyball supplying the mini diggers
which laid the top soil, Jewsons for the ground membrane, Inter-line
the decorative stones and Brewers supplying paints. |
The large
anchor was brought to rest in the garden, this time it thanks
to haulier Paul Shepherd. It was bought up by a Brixham trawler
off Lyme Bay a few years ago and once in place Simon Read owner
of the Golden Hind offered specialised paint to preserve it.
Plants and other donations for the garden were made by organisations
and residents including: Coleton Fishacre, Mr & Mrs Atwill,
Pat Oxley, Wendy Fryer, Brixham Soroptomists, BASRA Brixham
Trawler Race Committee, Dave Sanders, Ken and Marjorie Stapleton,
Brian Horton, Diane Evans and fishing net by Bill Wakeham.
The latest planned
addition to the garden are pieces from the original keel and
ribs of the Heritage Fleet Trawler Pilgrim, which have now been
replaced during the restoration work being done to Brixham's
oldest sail trawler.
Mary Thompson said,”
It seemed appropriate to all of us that parts of Pilgrim should
be placed in the garden as the boat was built at Uphams and
when fully restored Pilgrim will be sailing out of Brixham Harbour
again.”
Mary also thanked
the Harbour Master and staff and the Marina and their staff
in supporting the project and Mick at the Captain's Cabin for
supplying endless cups of tea and coffee as the project has
taken shape. The garden is also lit by lighting provided by
Harbour Master so that it can be seen day or night as you walk
along the harbour enjoying all the planting projects Pride in
Brixham are sustaining along its course. If you would like to
offer a little bit of time to help out with the gardening or
learn more about the group's activities then contact Mary on
01803 851738. |
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