Woodland Walk at Bashfordsland Wood

Photo from Woodland Walk (on Monday 28th July) in Bashfordsland Wood with Dermot Hughes. Part of Love Parks Week.

Carrickfergus Borough gets set to love parks

The people of Carrickfergus Borough and throughout the UK are showing how much they love their local parks by getting out and celebrating national Love Parks Week, which takes place between Friday 25th July and Sunday 3rd August.

 

Alderman May Beattie, Chairperson of the Parks, Countryside and Amenities Sub-Committee said “Love Parks Week encourages friends, families, the young and old, to come together and enjoy what our parks and green spaces offer. People must never forget that these spaces provide many opportunities for friendships, education, health, exercise and simple play and fun. Let’s celebrate our green spaces, show you support for Love Parks Week.”

“Love Parks Week is the perfect excuse to get outdoors and enjoy the summer. We’re celebrating all that parks have to offer, so why not visit your local park during the campaign to show what it means to you?

“Love Parks Week is the ultimate green campaign; it commands for our parks and green spaces to be supported and invested in, whilst delivering a whole week of free local outdoor events throughout the Borough, visit our website www.carrickfergus.org/loveparks to find out what’s going on in a park near you.”

“Events in the Borough (LINK) range from no pain no gain Boot Camp and Body Combat taster sessions to more genteel pursuits such as Tai-Chi , woodland walks and outdoor theatre. We want these events to inspire people to get out and enjoy the fresh air of Carrickfergus Borough’s green space.”

Love Parks Weeks is now in its eighth year and last year more than 380,000 people were inspired to head down to an event at a beautiful park or green space. This is the second year the nationwide initiative has been run by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, who stepped in at the eleventh hour to save the campaign following the closure of parks charity GreenSpace last year.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Love Parks Manager, Paul Todd said: “Love Parks Week is the ultimate celebration of our beautiful parks and green space and it is fantastic that Carrickfergus Borough is getting involved in this year’s event. Green spaces are absolutely vital to every community and make a massive contribution to people’s health. In this time of budget cuts, it is essential that everybody uses and values their local green space, otherwise we could all be in danger of losing them. We want this year’s event to be the biggest and best celebration yet, so we are urging everyone to get down to their local green space and take part in the festivities.”

See all Events at: http://www.carrickfergus.org/events/item/477/love-parks-week-2014/

Love Parks Week events in Carrickfergus - Advance Notice

Love Parks Week is an annual campaign to celebrate parks and other green space.With over loads of events across the Borough - from Zumba classes to Butterfly Hunts - there was something for everyone in Love Parks Week 2014. Check out our Love Parks Week events website at http://www.carrickfergus.org/events/item/477/love-parks-week-2014/.

Launch of Carrickfergus in Bloom 2014.

This lunchtime (Friday 30th May) Alderman May Beattie, Chairperson of the Parks, Countryside and Amenities Sub-Committee for Carrickfergus Borough Council launched Carrickfergus in Bloom 2014 in the grounds of the Andrew Jackson Cottage. Local school children and community representatives from throughout Carrickfergus Borough joined in with Alderman Billy Ashe, Mayor of Carrickfergus to the sounds of the APEX Jazz Band.

 

Alderman Beattie said “Carrickfergus hosted the Translink Ulster in Bloom awards ceremony this year and as hosts we notched up no less than five awards, the most the Borough has ever achieved in some twenty years of competing. Additionally, both Carrickfergus and Whitehead have been nominated to represent the province in the prestigious 2014 Britain in Bloom Awards in the “Large Town” and “Small Town” categories respectively. Carrickfergus Borough Council has a long and active role in supporting community horticulture which goes far beyond the decorative. In fact, one of the five awards achieved this year was a special award for outstanding achievement for its programmes promoting biodiversity.”

 

Alderman Beattie continued “Carrickfergus Borough Council is committed to our localCarrickfergus in Bloom initiative. This year the challenge goes out to everybody who lives and works within the Borough of Carrickfergus. Whether you plant a hanging basket, enter one of the community gardening competitions, plant a tree, start growing fruit and vegetables or put up bird box, there is something for everyone to do and enjoy in their garden or in the community green space that we all benefit from. This year we are continuing with the Carrickfergus in Bloom Community Competition. Categories include Best Kept Garden for individuals; For children we have Painting and Poetry Competitions and the very popular Tallest Sunflower Competition. For the Business Community we have hotly fought categories such as Best Kept Shop. These competitions not only brighten up our Borough but have been fundamental to our success in Ulster in Bloom. Let’s make 2014 another winning years for our Borough.”

 

Alderman Beattie also announced that in the next few weeks the Council will plant out thousands of summer bedding plants and thanked the many sponsors for their generous support and commitment to the Carrickfergus in Bloom initiative. She also thanked the local schools who have shown such commitment to the Carrickfergus in Bloom initiative. “The Schools Growing Club initiative is a great success and young people throughout the Borough are already benefiting with the link between healthy eating and growing fruit and vegetables at home and school. The growing schools initiative offers students the benefit of practical hands on activities, helping to motivate and enhance their learning experience.”

 

Alderman Beattie continued “In 2014 we will continue with the Carrickfergus in Bloom campaigns of promoting capacity building through our grants initiative; we will also be encouraging wildlife gardening thought the Blooming Wild campaign; as well as the food growing campaign with initiatives such as the One Pot Pledge. Fruit and vegetable growing is also taking place at Eden Allotment Gardens and our new allotment site at Greenisland. We thank Sunnybank Garden Centre for continuing their support of the Best Kept Allotment Competition. If residents are interest in obtaining an allotment visit our website: www.carrickfergus.org/allotments. ”

 

Alderman Beattie also highlighted the important partnership working that is carried out. “Carrickfergus Borough Council along with the Department of Environment, Northern Ireland Housing Executive plus various community and charitable groups are working together to improve the environment of our Borough."

 

 

Evening Birdsong at Bashfordsland Wood

Join well-known bird expert Dot Blakely (seen on TV's BBC Wildweek Live), to find out more about birds in and around Bashfordsland Wood.

 

Birdsong can be soothing and relaxing, cheerful and inspiring. In fact, a recent survey by the National Trust found that birdsong is our favourite spring sound! So don’t miss this wonderful opportunity to hear Birdsong at Bashfordsland Wood guided by televisions Bird Expert Dot Blakely (from BBC’s Wildweek Live).

Bird enthusiasts often get up at the break of dawn to hear the calls of our common birds including chaffinches, sparrows and finches. But this month Carrickfergus Borough Council is taking a more laid back approach with a dusk chorus event at Bashfordsland Wood.

This will be a wonderful experience for the whole family - ideal for all ages and both keen birdwatchers and novices. Dot will help you identify our different birds by their songs and answer any birding questions. Bashfordsland Wood is a prime location for Carrickfergus bird life - come and hear for yourself!

This evening performance is tuning up on Friday 30^th May. Meet at 7pm at the entrance to Bashfordsland Wood at Red Fort Park, off Marshallstown Road. This event is outdoors so please wear appropriate clothing and footwear.

For further information please contact Ben Simon on e-mail biodiversity@carrickfergus.org

Event Link: http://www.carrickfergus.org/events/item/537/evening-birdsong-at-bashfordsland-wood/

Spring Clean at Eden Allotment Gardens

This Saturday (17^th May) Carrickfergus Borough Council is holding a Spring Clean day at the Eden Allotments. This is the perfect chance to tidy up your plot and meet other plot holders.

Carrickfergus Borough is ‘Growing for Gold’

Carrickfergus in Bloom is distributing 4,000 packs of sunflower seed to local school children to promote its Tallest Sunflower Competition and also celebrate the 50th Anniversary of Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Britain in Bloom. Carrickfergus & Whitehead towns will represent Northern Ireland this summer in the Britain in Bloom finals.

Carrickfergus in Bloom is asking the Borough’s young horticultural enthusiasts to join the thousands of young gardener’s throughout the UK in a mass-planting of sunflower seeds during National Gardening Week (14-21 April) to celebrate 50 golden years of Europe’s largest community gardening campaign – RHS Britain in Bloom.

A Council spokesperson said "Carrickfergus Borough Council is distributing the sunflower seeds to Carrickfergus Borough primary and secondary school children as part of the Carrickfergus in Bloom Tallest Sunflower Competition.”

“What better way to celebrate this huge anniversary for Britain in Bloom than a mass planting of beautiful golden sunflowers. These gorgeous and uplifting plants have been known to grow an astonishing four metres high, which reflects the sort of spirit and drive we associate with our local young people and other volunteers who transform our Borough each year.”

“We’re providing the seeds as a big ‘thank you’ to all the industrious and passionate young people who work to ensure that our Borough stays clean, green and beautiful. It is also a chance to do something big for the environment – sunflowers provide vital food for pollinators this summer.”
“The Carrickfergus in Bloom Children's Community Competitions has a total prize fund of £350. Other competitions include Poetry & Painting; entries for these competitions must be received by 30th September.”

"Everybody who lives within the Borough of Carrickfergus is invited to take part in Carrickfergus in Bloom as there is something for everyone. By entering you not only brighten up your own house but you also aid our Borough's entry to the Ulster & Britain in Bloom competition. The winners and runner-up of all Carrickfergus in Bloom competitions will be invited to a prize-giving ceremony at the Town Hall in October to receive their certificates and prizes. In 2013, 1850 people took part in the Carrickfergus in Bloom community competitions.”