Launch of Carrickfergus in Bloom 2013

This lunchtime (24th May) Alderman May Beattie, Chairperson of the Parks, Countryside & Amenities sub-committee will launch Carrickfergus in Bloom 2013 in the grounds of the Andrew Jackson Cottage. School children from throughout Carrickfergus Borough and Community representatives will also be joining in, to the sounds of the APEX Jazz Band.

“Blooming” Busy Pupils Help Local Traders!

Downshire School’s Year 11 and Year 12 Horticulture classes were busy this week preparing floral hanging baskets for traders to display in the centre of Carrickfergus.

Chairperson of the Parks, Countryside & Amenities Sub-Committee, Alderman May Beattie who visited the blooming busy pupils said “The aim of the project, which has been funded by the Council’s Carrickfergus in Bloom initiative, is to brighten up the town centre this Christmas and use the horticultural talents of the Downshire School pupils.”

“Downshire pupils were a natural choice to create the floral displays due to the delivery of the subject of Horticulture which has had enormous examination success; and the interest in the Gardening Club which runs at lunch time and after school. Such examinations and clubs promote vocational opportunities for the young people and certainly their work on the planters for the Council has let them see a possible horticultural career path.”

“Carrickfergus in Bloom is a beacon of community gardening good practice, as it encourages residents to get involved, builds community spirit and improves the environment we all live in. With initiatives such as the school growing clubs, real opportunities for health, wellbeing and learning are being created.”

Principal Mrs Stewart commented on how pleased she was that the school had been given the opportunity to engage in such a civic venture and noted that the pupils now would be able to see their work on public display and would therefore take an even greater pride in their contribution to the local community. Everyone looks forward to seeing the lovely baskets adding a splash of colour to the newly refurbished town centre in the run up to Christmas.

Teachers Mrs Pauline Cowan (Downshire School) and Mr Robert Simpson (Newtownabbey Regional College) observed that doing work like this adds an extra dimension to the pupil’s experience of school and certainly provides added value to their educational experience.

Robert Stewart from Carrickfergus Traders Association thanked the school on behalf of the town centre shops benefiting from the floral displays this Christmas. He added “The Traders Association has been working in partnership with Carrickfergus Regeneration Partnership to roll out a floral scheme initiative. It is hoped that further work including community gardens within the town centre will compliment the completed public realm improvement scheme and that this will be an opportunity for more schools across the Borough to be involved”.

Keep Britain Tidy Christmas Card Competition

Are you dreaming of a green Christmas? Then show what Keep Britain Tidy means to you this festive season by designing the Keep Britain Tidy Christmas card!

Help Keep Britain Tidy to spread their yuletide message far and wide, the winning picture will be transformed into the 2010 Christmas e-card which will then be emailed out to all their thousands of friends and supporters up and down the country!

Open to all ages, they are looking for eye-catching entries which cleverly combine fun and festivity along with an environmental theme. The Keep Britain Tidy logo (click here) should be depicted somewhere in your picture and all entries should be on one side of A4 paper in a landscape format, and submitted by post. To enter, simply send your picture to:

Christmas Card Competition
Marketing Team
Keep Britain Tidy
Elizabeth House
The Pier
Wigan
WN3 4EX

So what are you waiting for, fast forward to Christmas, get creative and help Keep Britain Tidy!

LINK: Keep Britain Tidy website

Children’s Community Competition Winners Announced

Today Alderman May Beattie, Chairperson of the Parks, Countryside and Amenities Sub-Committee announced the winners and runners-up (list enclosed) of the Carrickfergus in Bloom Children’s Painting & Poetry Competitions.

Alderman Beattie said “We are delighted to announce the Carrickfergus in Bloom Children’s Painting & Poetry Competition Winners and Runners-up. The response from our young people has been extraordinary with hundreds of entries to judge. I am thrilled about the quality and diversity of the entrants. It has been an opportunity for me to see the wealth and variety of artistic talent in our community. “Winners and runners-up will be invited to a prize-giving ceremony at the end of October in Carrickfergus Town Hall to receive their certificates and prizes.

Children’s Painting Competition 15 and under
Winner: Laura Murdy, Carrickfergus
Runner-Up: Lauren Finlay, Carrickfergus
Runner-Up: Jamie Blakely, Carrickfergus

Children’s Painting Competition 10 and under
Winner: Grainne White, Carrickfergus
Runner-Up: Nicole Alderdice, Carrickfergus
Runner-Up: Shannon Vermanen, Carrickfergus

View the winning paintings

Children’s Poetry Competition
Winner: Nathan Toland, Carrickfergus (read poem)
Runner-Up: Kirsty Wilson, Carrickfergus (read poem)
Runner-Up: Emily Turner, Carrickfergus (read poem)

New report shows how school gardening benefits children

Research commissioned by the Royal Horticultural Society shows the enormous impact that gardening plays in a child’s wellbeing, learning and development. The report demonstrates that gardening in schools encourages children to:

• Become stronger, more active learners capable of thinking independently and adapting their skills and knowledge to new challenges at school and in the future
• Gain a more resilient, confident and responsible approach to life so they can achieve their goals and play a positive role in society
• Learn vital jobs skills such as presentation, communication and team work, and develop their entrepreneurial spirit
• Embrace a healthier, more active lifestyle as an important tool for success at school and beyond
• Develop the ability to work and communicate with people from all ages and backgrounds.

The research was carried out by the National Foundation for Educational Research (NFER) and published in June 2010. The NFER surveyed 1,300 school teachers and studied in depth ten schools belonging to the RHS Campaign for School Gardening, ranging from a large urban primary in London to a small village school in Yorkshire.

Read report summary
Read full report