Leighton-Linslade in Bloom volunteers are raising spirits during pandemic

The green-fingered group, which formed around 10 years ago, was determined that the town would still look beautiful during 2020 and made it their mission to maintain their garden spaces.

During the spring lockdown some of the volunteers would visit the sites alone to water the plants early in the morning, while until recently, the members were visiting in teams of six.

Volunteer Rosie Palmer said: “Our gardens provide somewhere for people to go, whether it’s for exercise, to sit quietly on a bench, or to walk round and admire the plants.

“So many people have said how nice it has been, and how valuable it has been.

“It’s good for your mental health - it gets you outside - and it’s good for your physical health. It’s also good for socialising. I know you have to sit apart in the gardens now, but you can still be somewhere where there’s other people.”

The Friends of Leighton-Linslade in Bloom has two community gardens - one in Pages Park and one in Linslade Recreation Ground - while it also has patches of land around North Street.

It works in partnership with the town council and has the privilege of walking round with council representatives when the judges from Anglia In Bloom visit.

Rosie would like to remind readers that as of February the group will be looking for new volunteers. She added: “You don’t have to be a gardener - come along and have a go!”

Rosie would like to thank her fellow volunteers for their hard work, including town councillor Clive Palmer and town and Central Beds councillor Gordon Perham. She also thanked the Leighton-Linslade Flower Club for its £100 donation.

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