People in Stone are being urged to give a pound to help the town’s bid for national glory.
Stone in Bloom is preparing to fight off the likes of Glenrothes, Whitehaven and former national finalist Whickham in the national finals of the Britain in Bloom competition this year, the first time the town has won through to the national competition.
In 2011 Stone enjoyed its most successful year yet, winning the overall gold award in the large town category of the Heart of England in Bloom competition.
The national judges will visit Stone in August to assess its appearance and community spirit and the Stone volunteers aiming for glory want to impress.
The group is asking all Stone residents to show their support and raise essential funds for floral displays and tools by purchasing a Stone in Bloom badge for £1, which will be available at the end of February.
Featuring the flower from the Stone in Bloom logo, 42p from each badge will go towards Stone in Bloom funding which pays for the purchase and upkeep of tree and plant displays and resources required to keep Stone looking in pristine condition.
Stone in Bloom secretary Jill Hood said: “I think we have got an excellent chance of winning because of the people of Stone. Everyone pulls together and we have fabulous community spirit. We want every person who lives in Stone to give a pound in return for a badge and wear it for the competition week, which is the first week in August.
“Stone in Bloom is also calling on town businesses to stock the badges for their customers to buy, as well as more volunteers to help with the town beautification work.”
A number of local businesses are already supporting the group through their sponsorship of projects. Francis Collela, the landscaper, has designed a plant bed beneath the town centre plane tree at no cost and other projects for this year include more floral displays in the town centre and wildflower seed planting.
The Stone in Bloom group also operates its own competitions for town businesses and residents. The group raises its own funds and receives maintenance assistance from the Streetscene team of Stafford Borough Council, however, and is to apply for a grant of £2,000 from Stone Town Council.
To get involved, and for lots more information, log on to the official Stone in Bloom website.
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