Donation helps garden group grow from strength to strength

A donation from United Utilities is helping a community gardening group in Blackpool grow from strength to strength.

A flurry of new green fingered members of the gardening group at Claremont Park Community Centre meant they needed more equipment and more storage space.

The club is run by Karen Norcliffe who explained: “Since the community centre was refurbished, we’ve had a big increase in members joining the gardening club. Because we’ve grown so much, we needed more equipment and the only place we’ve been able to store it is in the polytunnel which we should be using to grow plants and produce.

“We’re incredibly grateful to United Utilities for stepping in and providing us with this shed, it came at just the right time and means we can now focus on growing more in the polytunnel.”

The ‘Claremont’ project is a key initiative of the Blackpool Pride of Place Partnership Board which United Utilities sit on.

Iain Pilling, Lancashire Area Engagement Lead for United Utilities said: “The team at the gardening club are passionate about what they are doing and it’s great to see so many people getting involved, not only for themselves but for the benefit of the local environment. We’re really pleased to have been able to support the group with their ongoing efforts.”

The community centre also provides cook and eat sessions, a chat and play children’s group, Blackpool & Fylde College courses as well as free first aid training.

Susan Brown, Claremont project lead at Business in the Community, and Claremont Park Community Centre Trustee, said, “We’re extremely grateful of the donation by United Utilities and we look forward to continuing to work with them in future.”