ILFRACOMBE IN BLOOM

Judges Portfolio 2012

Runnymede Gardens seen from Southern Slopes

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Ilfracombe is a town of some 12500 people and is situated on the north Devon coast, within the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty. It is the major resort town of north Devon, a popular all year round destination that combines a contemporary atmosphere with old world heritage and attracts a wide mix of visitors from families staying at the holiday parks and camp-sites to people wanting a quiet weekend break at a boutique B&B. There is much for visitors to do and see from walking, water sports or just wandering about the town and tasting the fantastic local food on offer. This year we have been accredited as a Walkers are Welcome town and also been named the UK's first Courteous Town by the National Campaign for Courtesy.

Ilfracombe in Bloom was formed in 1987. In 1986 the Civic Trust Advisory Committee decorated the town with hanging baskets on the lampposts and it was after this that Mayor Mike Edmunds held a meeting to consider setting up an Ilfracombe in Bloom. Margaret Sutcliffe, with others, was asked along and they were invited to take the project forward. North Devon Council Parks Department was very helpful, giving a small grant to buy suitable baskets and providing plants from the spare ones after their flowerbeds had been planted. Margaret retired as President of Ilfracombe in Bloom earlier this year and we thank her for all her hard work and endeavours over years. We are a committee of local residents who work to improve our town, making it a greener, cleaner and more beautiful place to live, work and visit. We organise the planting and distribution of containers etc. throughout the centre of town and are gradually taking over/creating pocket garden areas with sustainable planting, co-ordinating our efforts with other groups and liasing with businesses and organisations. All sections of the community are welcomed as individuals or organisations that are able to support our aims either through financial or practical help. We aim to ensure that all residents are able to play a full part in assisting our aims and encourage the widest possible participation in all activities regardless of disability, sex or race. Most years we have entered South West in Bloom and 2011 saw us achieve a Gold Award and our ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ entries come away with awards from Improving to Outstanding.

North Devon Journal 22 September 2011

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Impact In the autumn we again planted the four boats with primulas but they were not as successful this year due to all the wet weather. When we removed them in late April, ready for the summer planting, we replanted as many as possible in various places around the town. For the summer we have planted the four boats and all the troughs with red & white begonias and crystal palace lobelia to celebrate the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee. The hanging baskets & towers in the High Street, mangers on the Seafront and the bandstand are a mixture of begonias, geraniums, bacopea and creeping jenny as well as some marigolds and petunias. The two large towers at Mill Head and St Brannocks Road include pink & white trailing petunias with bacopea and red begonias. We have not started any new projects this year but have continued working on the existing ones. We have removed more dead shrubs from Trinity Gardens and replaced them with low growing shrubs and perennial plants such as lavandula, cistus, hydrangea and osteospermums. Two new planters have been made and installed for us by Community Resources in the space where the old toilets used to be and these have been filled with bedding plants.

The large planters in Broad Street have been planted with small bay trees and various herbs, including thyme, mint, marjoram and oregano, for use by the local pubs and restaurants. The smaller ones have been planted with summer bedding in the red, white & blue theme.

Horticultural Achievement

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Horticultural Practice The annual planting done by Ilfracombe in Bloom has been done using various brands of peat free or reduced peat compost, manure and slow release feed. The displays are watered, weeded and deadheaded on a regular basis and fed with Tomorite. The major displays are watered with ‘grey’ water taken from a private source, for which there is a licence to extract. The displays on the bandstand have an automated water system and for the remainder of areas wherever possible we use water from rainwater butts. All our troughs and planters now have water reservoirs so cutting down on the amount of watering required. We continue to replace bedding plants in areas we are responsible for with shrubs, perennials and bulbs, thus increasing the year round interest. This is part of our sustainability campaign. When dismantling the displays at the end of the season plants are saved where we can or composted and the compost is spread over permanent planted areas such as the Wilder Park gardens. North Devon Council continue to reduce the use of seasonal bedding, replacing with shrubs and herbaceous borders, supplemented with some seasonal bedding and an area by the pitch and putt on the seafront is being planted with perennials this year. Peat free compost is used and discarded bedding plants are recycled by being dug in or composted. Leaf litter is made into leafmold for soil conditioning. They now give us the daffodil bulbs that are dug up from the flowerbeds in the park after flowering, which we dry and then later in the year we plant them in the verges. Community Resources clients use plants they have grown themselves in their allotment, or have had donated to them, for their seasonal planting. Whenever we are working for Ilfracombe in Bloom we wear visibility jackets which as well as being a safety measure also advertise the work we are carrying out.

Daffodils by the Roundtable Boat Weed Clearing

Wilder Park Garden Community Resources Boat on the Cove

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Residential & Community Gardening Ilfracombe has is a thriving local gardens competition run by Mike Edmunds on our behalf. He arranges for someone from outside the area to carry out the judging – they have come from as far away as Australia in the past! Judging takes place in July with the awards being presented at the AGM of Ilfracombe in Bloom to which all entrants are invited and is followed by a magnificent buffet courtesy of Cllr and Mrs Edmunds. Pauline Nairn of Clifton Court received the ‘Outstanding Achievement’ award for 2011.

Pauline with the cup

Clifton Court Large Hotel – The Darnley Small Hotel – The Collingdale

Large Garden – The Round House Small Garden – 4 Brookdale Ave Without Garden – Parliament Court

Shops & Cafes – Curiosity Cottage Public Houses – Prince of Wales Warden - Candar

The categories are Hotel & Guest House 11 beds & over Hotel & Guest House up to 10 beds Houses with large front gardens Houses with small front gardens Houses without gardens Shops, Cafes & Offices Pubs Residential, Nursing & Warden Homes

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North Devon Journal 12 April 2012

Allotments - Ilfracombe has a thriving Allotment and Leisure Garden Association with 60 allotments that are scattered throughout the town on 5 sites. The rules of the association are tight and anyone that does not adhere to them is asked to vacate their plot. This ensures that all plots are looked after properly. The allotment availability is limited by the lack of suitable land and because of this there is a waiting list of some 75 persons. Every year the allotment holders hold an AGM and a competition to show off their produce. At this meeting there is usually a speaker on some horticultural topic. Because the Association encourages these ‘get togethers’ there is a feeling of camaraderie and most plot holders do their best to help their neighbours.

In addition to the allotments run by the local association Greener Ilfracombe has community allotments at Calf Green and Laston Green and all three schools have their own vegetables patches. There is also a community orchard at Hele.

Queens Avenue Allotments Chambercombe Allotments

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Car Parks At Wilder Road car park we have repaired and painted the low fencing around the beds with the help of volunteers. Some of the large shrubs have been cut back and this has allowed some perennial plants to appear again. The other main car parks are in more exposed areas and have larger shrubs which are maintained by North Devon Council.

Wilder Road Car Park Lidl’s Car Park

Business Areas and Premises

A number of the High Street shops have baskets – some of their own and several that are purchased through us and which we maintain and water through the summer for a small additional charge.

Council Offices Local Shops

Tunnels Beaches Bath House The Avalon Hotel Curiosity Cottage Tea Rooms

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Green Spaces - Ilfracombe is surrounded by its natural beauty, which includes Hillsborough, Capstone Hill and the Torrs but has few man made green spaces, the main ones being Bicclescombe Park, St James Park, the Seafront & Runnymede Gardens all of which are owned and managed by North Devon Council.

Hillsborough - Ilfracombe’s Sleeping Elephant Bicclescombe Park

St James Park Seafront Crazy Golf

Southern Slopes Runnymede Gardens

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Bicclescombe Park celebrated it’s centenary in 2011 and the North Devon Council Parks & Amenities team were successful in retaining the Green Flag award for an eighth year. The park has been awarded a Green Flag again this year and will receive a mystery shopper visit with a more formal inspection every two years. The flag raising ceremony will take place on Wednesday 15th August at an open day event.

North Devon Journal 22 March 2012 NDJ 20.10.11

Several community groups are involved with the park. Among them is the Bicclescombe Park User Group which meets three times a year and the Ilfracombe Model Boat Club. In 2010 a group of ‘Mums’ formed the Bicclescombe Playground Improvement Group and started holding events to raise funds for new play equipment and so far have raised enough to purchase two new pieces as well as getting funding for a notice board and murals have been made by the children from the Infant School. This summer the group has taken over the Mill Tea Room which they are running with the help of volunteers. The Ilfracombe Tennis Club, which has been in existance since 1947, is based in the Park and everyone is invited to join and can attend taster sessions which are held regularly. They also hold the Ilfracombe Tennis Tornament each July.

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North Devon Journal 1 March 2012

Marlborough Road Cemetery is run by the North Devon Council's Parks and Amenities team based at the Civic Centre, Barnstaple and a Cemetery Sexton and assistant based at the cemetery. The cemetery strives to improve its service and facilities and is hoping to work towards obtaining the ICCM charter for the bereaved in the near future.

With breath taking views and sea views, the cemetery is 8.88 acres in size and came into operation in 1926, with the first burial taking place 22 April 1926. A small chapel is situated at the entrance to the cemetery and there is a pretty woodland wild flower area for the scattering of ashes. All the main areas of the cemetery and chapel are wheelchair accessible. With traditional Monterey pine trees, drifts of daffodils in March/April and sustainable landscape maintenance, the cemetery is made up of 22 blocks which comprise of traditional, lawn memorial, cremation and child plots. Wildlife is also an important feature within the cemetery, including squirrels,foxes, badgers, woodpeckers, jackdaws and other varieties of birds. llamas and horses (in the farm adjacent)

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Permanent Planting

Runnymede Gardens & Southern Slopes Bicclescombe Park Road

Pip & Jim’s Albert Court

Bicclescombe Park The Thatched Inn

Norbury Bed & Breakfast Wilder Park Windsor Court

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Summer Displays 2012

Make me Smile Boat Rotary Boat – Hillsborough Road

Bandstand – Runnymede Gardens Runnymede Gardens

Tower & Troughs on Seafront The Esplanade - Hele

Harbour Masters Office St Brannocks Road Planter Church Street Towers

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Conservation & Biodiversity - Ilfracombe sits in the middle of the North Devon Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Coastal Preservation Zone. The North Devon Voluntary Marine Conservation Area was set up in 1994 and is now managed through the Devon Wildlife Trust, to raise awareness of the importance of the sea and the wildlife that supports it. Stretching from Combe Martin to Croyde and to an offshore depth of 20 metres. The area includes a range of valuable marine habitats from rocky shores and muddy harbours to sandy beaches and coves. They support a great diversity of wildlife including rare and unusual creatures such as cold-water corals, porpoises and seals. Capstone – for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee, North Devon Council cut the wording for the traditional community photograph on the side of Capstone and on Sunday 2nd June 100s people gathered in wet weather for it to be taken.

North Devon Journal 7 June 2012 Hillsborough is a local nature reserve & SSI overlooking the town and harbour. The great banked earthworks of an Iron Age fort are still very visible today. Last autumn members of the Hillsborough Volunteer Group, with the help of a local archeologist carried out survey work. As well as measuring ditches and banks they were also looking for post holes where a main structure may have been. The Rural Development Programme for England funded the work

North Devon Journal 12 November 2011 Hillsborough from St Nicholas Chapel

ENVIRONMENTAL RESPONSIBILITY

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Mullacott Roundabout is owned by Devon County Council and is the very important entrance to Ilfracombe as the principal holiday resort. Ilfracombe in Bloom was responsible for the design and implementation of the natural landscape in 1990 and continues to maintain and replant as necessary. The roundabout is 800ft above sea level and exposed from every direction to sea winds, being one of the highest points in the area. Trees would not grow there and gas and water mains through the middle means nothing permanent can be built or planted within 2metres either side of these.

The central area is planted as a wild flower meadow. Surrounding this is a rockscape with heathers, junipers, native rockroses, gorse and very large rock ‘outcrops’ with scree slopes. The grass verge is mowed on a regular basis and the clippings removed in order to reduce the fertility of the soil and encourage wild plants. This fringe is planted with wild daffodils and primroses. The central wild-flower meadow is managed as a hay meadow and the balance of flowers varies from year to year. The whole area is cut in September and the clippings left for several days to release the seeds before being raked up and removed for composting. This spring has seen the removal of several dead heathers and broom and their replacement with 100 new heathers, also areas where signage has been moved by DCC have been sowed with grass seeds.

Tunnels Beaches continue to shine like coastal gems ...and that's official, having retained their Blue Flags in recognition of their high quality. They have once again met stringent criteria in environmental education and information, environmental management, safety and services and water quality.

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Chambercombe Manor & grounds are set in a secluded valley. Chambercombe is a registered charity, run by a family trust and open to the public from Easter to October each year with no charge to enter the grounds although donations are appreciated. There are over four acres of beautiful gardens, with ponds and woodland walks for you to enjoy.

The Cairn Pleasure Ground & Old Railway is some 15 hectares of mixed woodland and grassland. Work to improve what was a rocky outcrop was started in 1893 by Ilfracombe Town Council who created paths and benches. Around 1900/1912 further paths were added plus trees planted, mainly conifers and beech. In addition a tea room/shelter was added near the top. Up until 2001 the level of maintenance gradually declined with the subsequent loss of biodiversity and ability for the public to access the Cairn. In 2001 the Cairn Conservation Carers group was formed with two main aims (1) To improve the biodiversity and (2) To improve and maintain the numerous paths, create new ones and rediscover some original ones. They continue with the conservation works clearing bramble, bracken etc in specific areas in order to provide improved habitats for wildflowers, birds and butterflies while leaving some areas of bracken untouched, as these provide habitats for some butterflies and birds and provide shelter for small mammals. They continue to improve and repair the paths in order to provide access for locals and the many summer visitors to Ilfracombe with all cuttings and scrapings raked onto one side of the paths away from the edges thus giving sources of food and shelter to the birds and mammals. In January they undertake their annual bird box survey and they run regular free Bat Walk and Bug Hunt weekends. They are looking at creating path markers and guide signs on some paths to enable visitors not familiar with the Cairn to find their way to the main viewing points and back.

Hunting for Bugs The Examination

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Resource Management

North Devon Council promotes recycling and composting. They operate a weekly kerbside collection for recycling, minimising the amount of waste sent to landfill – the green box scheme collects glass, metals, plastics, cardboard & paper as well as clean clothes and shoes. There is a fortnightly alternate black (domestic waste) and green (garden waste) wheelie bin service with those where wheelie bins cannot be used receiving a weekly black bag collection. Food Caddies were introduced in 2009 and are collected along with recycling for those without green wheelie bins, or with the green wheelie bin. Trade waste is collected on a weekly basis and businesses can pay to have it collected up to three times a week. There are recycling bins for paper, cans and bottles placed around the town.

Killacleave, on the edge of town, is the local recycling centre and is open seven days a week throughout the year. Any non commercial waste can be taken there, with the exception of food waste.

Community Resources (Devon) CIC collect and sort for recycling cardboard, paper, steel and aluminium cans, plastic containers and plastic film from businesses. They have also started making pet bedding from newspaper and this side of the business is slowly developing and the equipment to do this is now in place. They have installed public aluminium drinks can recycling units in several places to enhance recycling rates and introduce a new concept in public recycling. These units allow the public to insert a can and then crush it themselves. This is a novelty for younger people and helps them to collect more cans from the bins each time they visit, cutting back on their carbon footprint.

Drinks Can Recycling Unit Compacting cardboard Compacted bundle of plastic

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Local Heritage The last few years has seen improvements to the public realm in Ilfracombe, although there is still work to be done. A new arch was erected at the top of Fore Street to entice people down to the harbour area, a new town logo was created and banners made and erected on lamp posts throughout the town for the summer months, using the ‘curious coastal charm’ theme. There are also new maps in all the car parks and having received funding from AONB there are eight interpretation boards on the South West Coast path through the town depicting the town’s history, marine and bird life as well as harbour activites, a further two will be installed, one at Hele and the final one at Lee, so covering the three wards of Ilfracombe.

Farmers markets are held twice a month at the Lantern Centre, in the High Street, the first Saturday & third Sunday, selling local produce & crafts. A local company procudes a ‘Local Farm Box’ that promises to deliver the freshest vegetables and fruits from local farms and independent producers to the doorstep. The range of fresh produce is vast and as well as fruit and vegetables includes meat, dairy & eggs.

Artwork can be found in various places around the town. By the Landmark is the mosaic noting the achievements of Jonathon Edwards, Olympic Gold medal winner and World Record Triple jump holder who lived in the town from 1976 to 1987 when his father was the vicar of St Philip & St James. He returned this May and carried the Olympic torch for part of it’s route through the town, meeting up with children from the infant and junior schools.

Along Wilder Road is a display of pictures titled ‘ECO Art on Prescription’ which was inspired by the coastline at Wilders Mouth & Capstone Hill. Students from Petroc college took part in a series of workshops gaining confidence and skill. There are stainless steel people by Bob Walters, a local artist, in the gardens at the bottom of Northfield Road & in the courtyard to the Lantern Community Centre in the High Street. As part of our marine connection several of our displays have been created using boats that have been donated to us.

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Local Environmental Quality

Dog Fouling – From 18 to 22 June, North Devon Council, Ilfracombe Town Council, police and volunteers came together for the purpose offering advice to dog owners, as well as highlighting the consequences to those who fail to clean up after their pet. During the week, high visibility patrols covered certain hot spots along the sea front, High Street, Torrs area, Hillsborough and Hele Bay. As well as enforcing the law, the patrols were eager to talk to other responsible dog owners to find out what their views on the situation were and to share advice. To report a dog fouling incidence residents can phone or email the council where information can be left anonymously if wished. Incidents can also be reported to the reception desk in the Ilfracombe Centre. Dog waste bines are supplied by the North Devon Council and are sited in the parks and open areas of the town. They are emptied on a regular basis and on the odd occasion where there has been a problem it has been dealt with the same day. Cigarette Bins - In 2010 the Ilfracombe Street Reps working with Transform arranged for the purchase of cigarette litterbins that can be found outside public houses etc. There are also dog waste bins in all the parks and open spaces.

Pride of Place - Ilfracombe in Bloom has worked along with other groups including local Councillors, Street Reps, Greener Ilfracombe, the Town Council and Parish Lengthsman to clear weeds and litter from the streets.

North Devon Journal 22 March 2012

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Development & Continuity - Ilfracombe in Bloom continues to improve the small areas of the town they have taken over to enhance them for the good of the town. These include Victoria Place, a small plot at the corner of St Brannocks Road & Bicclescombe Park Road, Trinity Gardens, Albert Court, Wilder Road gardens and planters on the Harbour Masters Office etc as well as the four boats around the town and the planters in Broad Street. We are looking to do more work at Trinity gardens and to the raised beds at the corner of New Barnstaple Road and possibly on the pier by St Nicholas Chapel in the future. Communication & Education - We have two local newspapers North Devon Journal & North Devon Gazette, both of which are very good at promoting any projects we are involved in. The North Devon Journal runs a ‘Your Pics’ photo page where anyone can send in photos and £1 per photo goes to a nominated cause. Last year the Bicclescombe Playground Improvement Group raised money this way. Any events we participate in we send in photos so promoting ourselves to the community. In addition we have two free magazines FOCUS and EX34. EX34 will run a feature article in August about the forthcoming Flower & Craft Festival. Our new website www.ilfracombeinbloom.co.uk has been created but it still needs some improvements to the layout. When the fine-tuning has been done we hope it will be linked to the www.visitilfracombe.co.uk site as well as www.theilfracombecentre.co.uk so residents and visitors alike will be able to see the work we do. The Ilfracombe & District Tourism Association as well as sponsoring us financially arrange regular quiz nights at the George & Dragon and through the winter of 2011/2012 £600 was raised.

North Devon Journal 12 January 2012

Community

Participation

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Community Involvement

Ilfracombe Schools Ilfracombe Arts College started their first horticultural course in September 2011 working with a special needs Year 7 group. They started by planting up a number of daffodils in the grass and then went on to plant pots in the Quad with petunias and the two green containers have potatoes in them. They have also created a vegetable patch, planting it with the potatoes, broad beads, peas and onions.

Before – Patch of Weeds Potatoes Growing Pots in the Quad Ilfracombe Junior School – The vegetable garden continues to grow and the school has obtained some guinea pigs and rabbits this year and as part of their sustainable practices the children have turned and raked mown grass to become hay. The eco team did a wildlife survey in their somewhat overgrown pond and discovered such a small amount of life in it that they took on the task of clearing the pond with an aim to turn it into a haven of wildlife, good for the environment but also to enhance the learning opportunities for the children in the school who study mini-beasts, for example, and art. The children removed a few pond skaters, leeches and newts with nets, then the water was pumped out of the pond and used to water the fruit trees in the garden. The task of creating a wildlife haven is not restricted to within the pond some pupils moved logs to create a log pile for mini-beasts and a place for frogs to shelter. The school has a new sea life aquarium stocked with rocks and creatures from Ilfracombe Harbour. Year 6 study the coastline in the autumn term and have taken it in turns to feed the fish and other livestock. The aquarium, equipment, pond underlay, liner and plants have all been generously purchased by the Friends of Ilfracombe Junior School and the ongoing maintenance is done with the support of Ilfracombe aquarium.

Broad Bean Crop Pond Clearing Log Collecting

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Ilfracombe Infant and Nursery School have a dedicated and enthusiastic team of children, staff and governors who have worked very hard making full use of their outdoor spaces. During the past year their composting scheme has flourished and they are now composting all cooked and uncooked food waste produced from the kitchen and all the fruit waste from children’s snacks. They have just applied for a ’Cutting Your Waistline Grant’ for a second Scotty’s Hot Box to aid them in the process. They have used their own compost in the vegetable garden. Children are involved in the whole process from waste food to harvesting crops and it is a valuable additional learning tool. They start children’s involvement with the growing processes in the Nursery where they have small vegetable beds. Children in the main school have planted vegetables and herbs that have been used to produce meals in school. The school orchard is now bearing fruit, thanks to donations by the local Rotary Club and Lions Club. They have redeveloped the pond area to make it more accessible. This is a very popular area with the children for mini beast investigations, especially when tadpoles are around. The children have planted wildflower seeds in one area of the school grounds, this not only looks beautiful but it encourages wildlife such as butterflies and insects which the children enjoy studying.

In 2011 Greener Ilfracombe became a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee, Greener Ilfracombe Ltd, with a board of volunteer directors. It still continues with it’s role as a network for conservation, green space and horticultural voluntary organisations in the area who are all involved in preserving, enhancing and regaining community green space in this densely built town. In addition they hold the licenses for Calf Green, Cow Green & Laston Green – the three community gardens – as well arranging insurance for these gardens.

Cow Green Community Garden was the first of the community gardens, created in 2002 with the help of many volunteers. The paths, huge water tanks and railings were installed and over 100 woodland trees and willows were donated and planted in the woodland area. The garden continues to evolve and they have a regular team of volunteers who garden every Friday between 10am and 12noon and the numbers have increased over the last year. Each January the garden holds the annual RSPB bird watch. Despite chilly conditions many visitors turned out to help count native garden birds and in June they carried out the annual butterfly survey. In October they took part in ‘Make a Difference’, a nationwide initiative to encourage new volunteers, for 2011 this was ‘Hug a Tree’ asking people to come and identify trees so that they could then specify management issues with them. It was very successful and led to contracting a tree surgeon to address some of the worst issues of overgrown or dangerous trees and they hope to hire Community Resources to chip all the branches which were cut. They have been awarded money from the Town Council for two new benches and these have been ordered.

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The garden is well used by locals and groups particularly for picnics and the volunteers have made contact with a community garden in Barnstaple (Forches) and will keep up links with them as a useful contact. This December the garden will celebrate its 10th anniversary and they would like to do something to mark the occasion.

North Devon Journal 10 November 2011 North Devon Journal 14 June 2012 Calf Green Allotments went through a slow time but it now has a committee who are getting things in order. They have a register of plot-holders, have sorted out the shared spaces and have had an offer of a greenhouse, so have identified a site for it. There are 22 plots, 21 of which are occupied. There is a strict no pesticides or chemical fertilisers policy. There are several family plots, one is held by a local business and one of the members is severely disabled. They run the allotments as a co-operative, everything is shared and all plot fees are used to buy and replace tools and equipment. In addition to vegetables and flowers there are a number of fruit trees, which cropped last season.

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Laston Green Community Garden & Allotments – Greener Ilfracombe obtained a license to let them turn some overgrown land at Larkstone into community allotments to be known as Laston Green and also some funding from Devon County Council. They started to clear the land in July 2010, with the help of Ilfracombe Healthy Town and students from the college. The college are planning to start horticultural based teaching and have expressed an interest in a continuing involvement with developing Laston Green. During the first day of clearing a clump of Japanese knotweed was found so that was ring-fenced and they are having it treated. The cleared site produced a huge amount of rubbish as well as garden waste. A contractor dug out root balls, lifted and repositioned some trees that were where a path is planned, removed brambles and rotovated and terraced the area. At the beginning of April 2011 three hundred fruiting hedge trees were planted as part of the RHS & Woodlands Trust tree-planting scheme. Progress is slow, but steady and they envisage that it will really start to move this year.

Community Resources (Devon) CIC is a community not for profit company set up to provide meaningful activities for adults with learning disabilities. Their activities involve community work for local groups and others as well as commercial environmental work for local businesses. They have there own allotment, which is accessed by other groups with learning disabilities as well as their own service users and they also do other gardening work. This year they have taken on the community orchard at Hele but no longer look after the Chambercombe wildlife habitat. They continue carrying on with maintenance at Cow Green, Vision Community Centre at Slade and some work at Calf Green as well as the recycling. Work at Bicclescombe Park for North Devon Council is ongoing and includes carrying out litter picking, planting, weeding, and furniture maintenance. They continue to manage and maintain the Pitch & Putt course in Ilfracombe, which has provided numerous opportunities for the group whilst improving a public amenity. It provides work opportunities for the group such as green and fairway grass cutting, serving the public from the kiosk, upkeep of the surrounding area and car park. It provides extended opening hours of the facility (7 days a week and a minimum of 8 hours a day early season) and it provides an improved facility for the community and visitors.

North Devon Journal 16.2.2012 Working on the Allotment Grass Cutting at Pitch & Putt

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St Philip and St James Church - Where once a very sad looking area of broken tarmac, collapsed drainage and gapping pot holes of mud, an area of colour growth and form is being created taking into consideration the area, its people and the environment. Major construction work was needed for new drainage and new tarmac along with a grasscrete area for parking. This was all made possible by a legacy from a past member of the congregation. The side boarders and flowerbeds needed a planting scheme and funding so the church members consulted with plant experts, gaining advice so that a comprehensive scheme could be designed taking in the restriction of the exposed sea front location and the need for drought tolerant shrubs. As a result they hope to achieve a low maintenance, high impact design of colour and shape throughout the year that will also attract wildlife. As the church had no funds available they applied to the Rotary Club of Ilfracombe and to the Ilfracombe Town Council for grants towards the costs of shrubs and to date the Rotary Club has enabled them to buy a large proportion of the plants with a grant of £300. A member of the church designed a suitable scheme and volunteers helped to weed and plant the shrubs and will continue to maintain them. The whole church has been involved in its creation. Initially ground preparation involved teams of up to 10 volunteers from the Church and neighbourhood, weeding out the nine months worth of weeds, a tough job as they did not want to use chemical weed killers. This started in late August and finished in September 2011. Early October saw the arrival of 180 shrubs and an enthusiastic band 10 - 12 people from the Church, neighbours and Rotary all came to help plant them. Regular working parties organised for grass cutting, general weeding and due to the design and type of shrubs only an annual pruning will be needed.

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Local Garden regularly open to the public

Lee Memorial Hall

Woodland Walk Hanging Basket & Fuchsia Hedge Local Cottage

Local Flower Show Entries 2011 – Held at the end of July each year

Lee Village

Fuchsia Valley

Lee, 2 miles to the West of Ilfracombe forms part of the West Ward and is part of Ilfracombe in Bloom. The picturesque village is situated in a deep ‘combe’ and is often referred to locally as "Fuchsia Valley". During the flowering season many of the village hedgerows are ablaze with the scarlet flowers. Their hanging baskets are provided by the Lee Residents Association. To support this they hold a Coffee Morning & Plant Sale in May and a Flower Show is held in late July

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The Year at a Glance – 2011/2012

July 15th South West in Bloom Judging Day July 20th Bicclescombe Park User Group meeting July 28th Love Parks Week – Teddy Bears Picnic Bicclescombe Park August 4th Ilfracombe’s Got Talent – Bicclescombe Park August 8th Ilfracombe in Bloom committee meeting August 11th Centenary Celebrations Bicclescombe Park Green Flag raised August 14th Rotary Car Boot - £42.34 raised August 24th Bulb planting by St Brannocks boat September 7th Greener Ilfracombe meeting September 7th Clear tubs Fore Street September 10th Church yard clearing September 11th Watering contract ends September 15th South West in Bloom Awards, Newquay – Gold September 20th Mike Edmunds presented ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ certificates September 28th Take down hanging baskets & towers etc. October 1st Greener Ilfracombe – Book stand at Farmers Market £20 October 9th Open day at Round House - £150 raised October 14th Plants from Seafront to New Barnstaple Road October 18th Quiz George & Dragon - £200 raised October 19th Bicclescombe Park User Group December 12th Ilfracombe in Bloom meeting December 13th Quiz George & Dragon - £80 raised December 19th Cheque presentation from

Ilfracombe Compass Club

2012 January 5th Greener Ilfracombe meeting January 17th ITC Litter Group meeting February 15th Meeting with Councillors & officers. February 9th Greener Ilfracombe meeting February 13th Ilfracombe in Bloom meeting February 29th ITC Litter Group meeting March 5th Bicclescombe Mill meeting March 10th AGM & presentation of Local Gardens Competition awards – Raffle £42 March 13th Meeting re Flower & Craft Show March 13th Quiz raised £170

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March 26th Bicclescombe Mill meeting March 27th Floral Arts – re Flower Festival March 29th ITC – Litter Group meeting April 1st Clean up at Wilder Road April 5th Raising of Gold Award flag on Seafront Presentation of cheque from Ilfracombe Rotary Presentation of cheque from Horticultural Society Presentation of Awards Board by Bill Bailey April 16th Ilfracombe in Bloom meeting April 21st Round House – Cancelled due to bad weather April 23rd Presentation of cheque from Ilfracombe Male Voice Choir May 3rd Incredible Edible event at the Lantern Plant Sale raised £35 May 14th Ivan Frances named Citizen of the Year May 16th Bicclescombe User Group meeting May 20th Broad Street large planters filled with herbs May 25th Boats planted May 28th Make me Smile boat planted up as Union Jack June 6th Presentation of cheque from Ilfracombe Lions Club June 7th ITC Litter Group meeting June 10th Towers & Baskets go out June 20th Bandstand baskets put up and remainder of troughs go out June 27th Meeting with Mike Jones, NDC at Bicclescombe Park

Funding & Support We are financed by discretionary grants and donations together with fundraising to raise the funds to carry out the work we do. Ilfracombe in Bloom’s floral displays are cost effective because of the work done by unpaid volunteers, the largest expense we have being the watering of the summer displays. In addition to a grant from Ilfracombe Town Council donations are made by a numbers of clubs, groups and individuals, which include most sections of the community. We are very grateful to our sponsors for their continued support, without their help our displays would be depleted as we can only do as funding will allow. In addition to the financial support we receive we also have help with materials and plants from North Devon Council to carry out projects and goods at reduced rates from local suppliers.

North Devon Journal 6 October 2011 North Devon Journal 26 April 2012 North Devon Journal 17 May 2012

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Compass Club

North Devon Journal 19 April 2012 We have been involved with several fund raising events where we have had stalls selling plants, which we have grown on ourselves, and bric-a-brac. The Ilfracombe & District Tourism Association arranged three quiz nights through the winter months at the George & Dragon where a total of £600.00 was raised.

We have had a book stall at the Ilfracombe Farmers Market, taken part in an Incredible, Edible event at the Lantern Centre selling plants we have grown on ourselves, mainly vegetable ones, and annually have a bric-a-brac pitch at the Rotary Car Boot in August.

2012 Sponsors

Darnley Hotel Emmanuel Church Filers Travel Limited Ilfracombe Capstone Ladies Club Ilfracombe Charity Book Shop Ilfracombe Compass Group Ilfracombe & District Lions Club Ilfracombe & District Tourism Association Ilfracombe Floral Arts Club Ilfracombe Horticultural Society Ilfracombe Male Voice Choir Ilfracombe Rotary Club Ilfracombe Round Table Ilfracombe Town Council John Fowler Holidays Limited Moose International Mullacott Park North Devon District Councillors Susan Day Residential Home TDK-Lambda UK Limited & other small donations

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The Future - As the Ilfracombe Horticultural Club has ceased to exist we have decided to hold a Flower & Craft Show – to be held on 11th August at the Landmark Pavilion. There are 7 groups with a total of 45 classes including special ones for children. We are supporting the Score Valley Cemetery Group in their aim of restoring the cemetery and if they get permission to do the work we will work with them and we will continue to look at areas where we can put more permanent planting and perennials. Also we would like to encourage homeowners in small areas to take ownership of their locality and to this end we are working with the Town Council to come up with an award scheme.

Our Committee and it’s aims 1. To increase civic pride through local people taking on the planning and management of their

local environment. 2. To decorate the central area of the town to make it a pleasant place to live, work and visit. 3. To help promote tourism, business and a healthy vibrant town. 4. To increase the areas that have permanent planting. Chairman: Ivan Frances - Ilfracombe Poverty Action Group & is a Governor at the

Junior School & a Street Pastor Vice-Chairman: Paul Carpenter - Ilfracombe High Street Traders Association,

Ilfracombe Floral Arts & Ilfracombe Compass Club

Secretary & Barbara Clarke – Ilfracombe & District Tourism Association, Ilfracombe Treasurer: Marketing Group, U3A and Ilfracombe Access Group Committee: Ann Doody - Ilfracombe Rotary Club, U3A & Ilfracombe Probus Sharon Williams – Community Resources CIC In addition a team of local people come to help with planting, clearing etc.

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Ilfracombe in Bloom 15 Montpelier Terrace, Ilfracombe, North Devon EX34 9HR

Telephone: 01271 865910 Email: stbrannocks@aol.com

Website: www.ilfracombeinbloom.co.uk