Linda has given the Chill Out Cabin another coat of paint which has brought out the colour well. New volunteers have been planting more of our fruiting hedge and planted some into pots ready for next week. Well done and thank you all for your help.

The spring flowers are looking fantastic at the new Teaching and learning Hub. They were sown and transplanted by Astley spark School pupils a few months ago. Looks great. Also the veg are ready for planting in the new raised beds a job for the pupils in the next few weeks well done everyone.

Earlier today we were working with 2 year 11 groups from Astley Park School. They finished moving the last of the 8 tons of topsoil we had delivered last week into the various raised beds. They also helped to plant peas, carrots, potatoes and transplanted sedums into larger pots. Thank you everyone, you always work so hard. Well done.

We had a big surprise tonight when about 40 Police Cadets turned up tonight to help with the planting, weeding, sweeping and other tasks that are still needed to be done to be ready for our Grand Opening on the 17th June. The group photo shows some of the volunteers. Thank you everyone for your help.

We had a visit this morning from the ASDA Community Champion who gave Chorley in Bloom a lovely donation of watering cans, pots and seeds. We also had 4 volunteers who helped with tree and vegetable planting. Thank you everyone.

We all had a lovely time at the hub today. The sun was shining and ice lollies to cool us all down after working hard moving soil into the raised beds were greatly appreciated. The 2 classes of year 11 pupils from Astley Park School did a great job today alongside their teaching staff, David and myself. Well done everyone.

Our raised beds are coming along nicely, another layer of sleepers to go on top (1st photo) and one we did earlier which looks lovely with the spring bulbs flowering. The perennials donated by Lovania will be coming out soon.

Work is going on in the polytunnel where Keiran can be seen having just finished watering the seeds he planted today while Corinne was busy cutting down more brambles that have sneaked into the Hub from the railway next door. Thanks go to both of you.

Chorley’s Street Scene operatives finished the raised beds today. We had a brilliant donation of topsoil today from Primrose Holdings. Linda can be seen planting daffodils between the trees in the fruiting hedge. Tomorrow we will be filling the raised beds with the help of volunteers. Thank you everyone for your help today.

It was a busy day today. Many helpers hands made light work to fill the new raised beds. Still more to do. Thank you everyone who came today.

Sisters from the Preston Temple came and helped at the Hub this week. Here they are just taking a moment to admire the lovely bed that volunteers planted up some time ago. Thank you for your help Sisters.

Today Linda has completed painting the Chill out cabin. The before and after photos show how much better the cabin looks. Thank you Linda Lea for your hard work. It looks lovely.

Astley Park School pupils planted more seeds this week. They were shown how to chit seed potatoes ready to plant after the Easter Holiday and how to take cuttings from Dianthus plants. Well done everyone, You are always so keen to help.

We hope that the new planters will add a bit of fun and sparkle to the Hub. We will be planting them up with bright plants soon. The sandpit has been moved from the covered nursery area by the Chorley Council operatives and will be used as a lower raised bed. Moving the sandpit made a tremendous difference to the teaching area available. 

Chorley in Bloom welcomed 2 classes of YR11 pupils from Astley Park School today sowing seeds a little bit early for the RHS Big Seed Sow. First they watered the seeds they’d sown the previous weeks, using pop bottles with special small screw tops that had watering hoses on them which they found fascinating. They learned about saving rain water and recycling pop bottles and that plants needed watering to help them grow. The vegetables will eventually help to feed others less fortunate than themselves. Thank you for your help Astley Park School.

The raised bed next to the boundary by the railway is progressing well and we are all looking forward to finishing clearing the brambles and replanting on our side of the boundary. Still lots to do but we’re getting there with help from Chorley Council.

The raised beds are coming on a treat with seeds sown and some more bulbs put in amongst the plants already doing well in one of the raised beds by Keiran. Thank you again for your help.

We began covering and replacing the screening on the metal fence. Thanks go to Lucia Taylor from ASDA and David Brown for their help. What a difference this makes.

The light green screening material is making a wonderful difference to the boundary of our hub. In the covered area where volunteers have put up some extra ivy leafed covered mesh over the lighter green screening it looks even better as the teaching area is taking shape . Thank you Corinne and Keiran, looks really great.

We now have a nice level base and pathway laid in the polytunnel thanks to the work of Chorley Council operatives and lottery funding for the limestone chippings. Thanks go to everyone concerned.