On Saturday, 28 April, local developer Berkeley, in conjunction with Canterbury City Council and the Environment Agency, hosted a Community Planting Day in support of the 'Canterbury in Bloom' initiative.
Residents from Kingsbrook Park and members of staff from Berkeley generously volunteered their time and energy to help clear the banks of the River Stour (which is council owned land) that borders the edge of the Kingsbrook Park riverside development and forms part of Northgate riverside walk into the city centre.
Together the volunteers battled through adverse weather conditions to remove the brambles and overgrowth and the newly cleared area has now been sown with a native wild flower mixture that will produce a variety of flora and fauna for everyone to enjoy, with minimum ongoing maintenance.
Tina Dedman, Sales and Marketing Director for Berkeley (Eastern Counties) Ltd, explains: "We are always keen to actively support local initiatives that help improve the local environment and support the city's tourism. Projects such as Canterbury in Bloom are a great way to encourage local residents to enjoy the healthy elements of gardening and also take an active involvement in improving their local community."
Canterbury in Bloom is a local project launched by Canterbury City Council and the Environment agency and is part of a horticultural initiative, Britain in Bloom, which is being overseen by the Royal Horticultural Society. Canterbury will be competing against 1,100 other towns, cities and villages from across the UK to show off their green fingered achievements.