This year’s Bloom and Grow centrepiece is set to be revealed – and this year it is a flower ‘bed’ with a difference. The borough is aiming to put a smile on the faces of residents and judges alike as we look to retain our Best City in North West in Bloom title for the sixth year in a row.
And this year we are also looking to repeat our national successes – when we won Best City in 2012 and 2014 – after we were nominated to take part in Britain in Bloom.
As usual our entries into the competitions are about showcasing the best the borough has to offer.
This year we’ve gone for a health and wellbeing theme and our WOW Bed centrepiece contains four key elements of a fit and healthy lifestyle.
The giant toothpaste and brush highlights the importance of oral hygiene and our Big Brush campaign, while the bed represents how everyone needs a good night’s sleep to recharge their batteries.
The colourful kites represent the importance of getting out and about and being active while the giant children’s building blocks and vegetables show how nutrition and diet are the building blocks to a healthy life.
The bed will stay on show throughout the summer after which it will be reused elsewhere in the town.
Councillor Barbara Brownridge, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Co-operatives, said: “Once again our Bloom and Grow centrepiece grabs you as soon as you see it.
“We wanted something to show that health and wellbeing is vitally important and we think we’ve achieved it with this display.
“Residents and visitors who see it will be really impressed and, hopefully, so will the judges when they come to town.Bloom and Grow is a real team effort. It’s about the council, residents, schools, businesses and community groups pulling together, showing some civic pride and making our borough looks its best.”
This year the route the judges will follow starts at Dunwood Park, Shaw and will then take in various parts of the borough en route to Oldham Town centre.
Stops will include: Shawside nursing home wildflower area; Dr Kershaw’s Hospice, where they will meet members of the volunteer gardening group; Clayton Playing Fields, to meet with volunteer litter pickers; Burnley Street Communal alley gate scheme; Gallery Oldham; and George Square Gardens.
