This Saturday is Acocks Green Carnival, lots of stalls, local organisations and shows. Come along and meet the Acocks Green Village in Bloom Team and Acocks Green Neighbourhood Forum, sharing a stall and selling lots of interesting, bargain plants.
As part of the annual Village in Bloom Campaign the team organise an Art Competition for children in the area with a relevant theme. This year the Royal Horticultural Britain in Bloom theme was Gardening for Wildlife so the children were asked children to consider this in their design. There were over 290 wonderful entries, it was so hard for the team to choose the winners. Thank you to everyone who took part and the local schools who were so supportive.
Below are just a few of our favourites, there were too many to upload all of them – we have some very creative young people here in AG.
Click to view slideshow.Some of you lucky people out there may be owners of this year’s first ever calendar featuring contemporary photos of the area. Acocks Green Village in Bloom produced a sell-out calendar for 2017 to raise funds and showcase some of the picturesque views of the area through the seasons. This year they have decided to ask local people to look through their digital cameras and phones and submit photos to possibly feature in the 2018 calendar. Each photo used will be credited to the photographer and they will also receive a free calendar.
Would you like to support Village in Bloom and get one of your photos in print? Then email us at the address below. Mike and Ross have already captured a couple of nice views of the Acocks Green. They are strong contenders to be included. Why not have a look through photos you have taken over the last few years. We are especially interested in seasonal views. Let us know where and when they were taken.
Email your photos to: AGNForum@hotmail.co.uk
By sending us your photographs you are giving us the right to print them in a calendar sold to raise funds for Acocks Green Village in Bloom. Only send photos that are your own work and that you are happy to be shared in this way. They may also be used on this website and social media, where possible they will be credited.
In the shops now – (S & H Jewellers, Bodylines and Jeffries), a new postcard to send to your friends and relatives around the world. The postcard features the new Village in Bloom Sculpture created by local artist Veronica Treadwell. Just 20p and all profits go to Village in Bloom.
If you haven’t already heard – Acocks Green Village received a Gold Award again this year in the entry The RHS Heart of England Britain in Bloom Awards. That is 3 years in a row! Also the team were given a special Community Award for the first time. Here are the comments from the judges about this award:
The community led Bloom initiative in Acocks Green Village goes from strength to strength. This year the judges saw and heard about more horticultural projects, schools engagement, the new Heritage Trail, new village sculpture, bigger and better events (including the launch event) and a new 2017 calendar.
Newcomers and first-entries are highly recommended to spend a day with Fran Lee and the team to gain first hand knowledge of how to bring together community resources.
Well done everyone
The support of the business and local community is so important to the team and their success. A perfect example is the support that Jeffries Hardware offers Village in Bloom, in so many ways, and here is a very visual example – they offered the team the shop window to display their successes:
Window display in Jeffries Hardware
Thank you Jeffries Hardware – recommended by ViB team for great gardening equipment and plants.
This week coming there are two nice events happening. An inaugural Tea Dance at the Arthur Moore Hall (Alexander Road) for the local community to enjoy and on Sunday a mass planting of daffodil bulbs to brighten up the village in the Springtime:
Vote for Acocks Green
Village in Bloom have applied for funding from Aviva. The more votes they get the more funding they will receive so take a couple of minutes to register to get your 10 votes and play your part in improving Acocks Green : –
Aviva Community Funding
Saturday is the Autumn Fair at St Mary’s –
always full of delights!
Sunday 5th November 10am.
Autumn clean up at Westley Vale Millennium Green. Meet at the gates on The Avenue. Come along for an hour or so to get some fresh air, exercise and meet some other locals and help tidy our precious green space. Equipment provided.
Happy New Year from Acocks Green Neighbourhood Forum!
Our next Public Meeting is Tues 30th January, 7.30pm Baptist Church Hall, Yardley Rd.
Here are some lovely photos taken by Veronica Treadwell, Fran Lee and Pauline Priest
of our Winter Wonderland.
Click to view slideshow.
Thanks to everyone who came along to Yet Another Bloomin’ Good Night, the fund raising event for Acocks Green Village in Bloom. It was a full house and the team raised valuable funds to continue their hard work. Thanks to all the supporters, the businesses who donated to the Grand Raffle, the talented Canoe, the lovely staff at the Westley Hotel and all the volunteers who worked so hard to make the event go well.
Our planned Litter Picking activities in March around the area were unfortunately snowed off, both times! However because people are unfortunately still dropping litter there is always a need to help keep our streets clean and tidy.
Sharing the great idea from Olton Literary Litter Pickers, the Village in Bloom team are offering local people the chance to be an official Litter-Picking Champion to tidy up their own area, at a time that suits them. Eight community-spirited people have already joined the project. As a Litter Champion you will receive a litter-picking stick, a High Viz jacket and a supply of official rubbish bags which will be collected by the council when left in a local designated collection points. So no need to complain about the litter blighting your streets anymore because you can do something about it! Why not get in touch and become a champion?! Perhaps you could share equipment with your neighbours to keep your street clean. Together we can make a difference. To become a champion click on ‘Contact Us‘ or email Village in Bloom Coordinator : fran.lee47@yahoo.co.uk
Have you seen the beautiful array of tulips around the village? Definitely the best display ever. Thanks to the Village in Bloom Team and all the volunteers who came along in November and helped plant them. It was worth the effort. Why not do a tulip trail to see them all? If you click on the pictures it will tell you where they are. Catch them before they’re gone!
The month long organised Great British Spring Clean continues and we have another local litter-pick organised by Village in Bloom. Everyone is welcome to come along and join in, (families, individuals, groups of neighbours etc). All equipment is supplied and you can stay as long as you want to. We hope that people can tackle some of the side streets that often get missed by the regular street-cleaners.
Come along to a celebration of all things Springtime and help support the valuable work of Acocks Green Village in Bloom. Live music, Beekeeping demonstrations, loads of interesting garden plants to buy including unusual tomato plants, free seed-sowing for children and a nice variety of stalls selling local crafts and tasty treats – perfect for gifts.
The event will take place in and around Mallard Close, opposite Morrisons. Spread the word and bring your friends and family!
What a busy weekend we had with community activities.
On Saturday 11th May Village in Bloom had a busy fund-raising street event. Springfest took over Mallard Close and the service road on Warwick Road with stalls and activities. Lots of homegrown plants were sold and there were some lovely stalls selling handmade crafts, food and jewellery.
The scouts served hot food and local band Canoe got people dancing with some great tunes, supported by the amiable Barrie the Busker with famous tunes from 1950s onwards.
Local greengrocer Ian Macauley joined the band for a few tracks to wow people with his amazing lead guitar playing and singing. We were also joined by our local beekeepers, Amanda, Brian and Eddie, and lots of bees – making honey behind a glass screen for everyone to see. There was seed-sowing for children to do and take home and DIY pick’n’mix planters to buy.
There was also a rendition of the anti-litter tune written by Kathie – one of the Village in Bloom Volunteers.
Thank you to everyone who came along and spent money, bought raffle tickets and supported the team in other ways. Great community spirit.
On Sunday the Neighbourhood Forum volunteers worked with the Canals and Rivers Trust to tidy up our stretch of the Grand Union. We were also supported by 3 volunteers in kayaks – locals Scott, Sharon and Craig, who bought their boats on Ebay and now come along and help fish the litter from the canal. What decent people we have and so nice to enjoy the spring weather.
If there is anyone out there who would like to help Village in Bloom volunteers or be informed of the Canals Clean Up dates then get in touch.
The community get together of the year takes place this Saturday! From 11am at Acocks Green Recreation Ground there will be shows, over 40 stalls and fun activities for all the family. So come down and support the people that work hard to improve Acocks Green.
At the Carnival 2018
The Neighbourhood Forum will have a stall selling a variety of vegetable and other plants and a ‘Guess The Weight of The Cake’!. Acocks Green Village in Bloom will also have a stall with flowering plants, free seed sowing with kids and lots more besides. Lots of other local groups and organisations will be present too so come along and support your local community and enjoy the carnival!
Birmingham City Council have recently been equipping community groups with litter-picking tools, and so volunteers from Acocks Green Village in Bloom took advantage of the offer. Ashley Atterbury the Assistant Service Manager from the Fleet & Waste at Montgomery Street came out to deliver the tools recently including litter-picking sticks, a first aid kit, broom and bag hoops. More ways to keep the Village looking clean and tidy.
A couple of local families got in touch with Fran the Village in Bloom co-Ordinator about being Litter Champions and so Fran has supplied them with equipment to keep their streets clean. Its great to see young people getting involved in their local community and setting such a good example. If you would like to be a litter-picking champion or want to help Village in Bloom in other ways then do get in touch via this website or with Fran directly: fran.lee47@yahoo.co.uk
Come along and support Acocks Green Village in Bloom. There will be plant sales, bric-a-brac, a raffle, local Acocks Green honey to buy, free seed-sowing with children and gardening advice. A chance to meet some of the team that work hard to improve Acocks Green. You can find out more about their work.
Well done to the dedicated team of volunteers who have worked hard all year to make the village look lovely with freshly sanded and varnished benches, colourful planters, community projects, amazing flower beds and so much more. The judges were again impressed by the variety of improvements and community engagements the team had achieved. This is an excerpt from the RHS judges comments:
The team do an outstanding job with tremendous support from local residents, schools, businesses (large and small!) Community groups and Birmingham City Council. With events and initiatives throughout the year the Bloom campaign makes a real difference with everyone pulling together to brighten up the Village.
Just a few photos that highlight some of the work achieved over the summer. Hover over the photos to read more about the work.
So WELL DONE once again to our volunteers. If you are interested in helping Village in Bloom in someway there are lots of ways to do this from digging, making donations, painting, litter-picking, watering and tidying up beds/planters. To find out more come along and chat to us or contact the co-ordinator :
Fran Lee: – fran.lee47@yahoo.co.uk or 0121 706 0076
Here is a way to support the Village in Bloom team and all the hard work they do around the village and, at the same time, have a great night out in Acocks Green! The 4th fund-raising Bloomin’ Good Night takes place on 7th March and has sold out previously, so get your tickets in advance from S & H Jewellers or Jeffries Hardware. There will be lots of locals there and a chance to get to socialise with other Acocks Greenians (Outsiders are very welcome too!). 
Saturday 7th March saw a sell-out evening at the Westley Hotel. Locals gathered together to support the work of Acocks Green Village in Bloom. Guests enjoyed a quiz, buffet, slideshow and live music from the talented band – Canoe. There was a huge raffle with great prizes donated by local businesses and shops. Thanks to everyone who donated money, prizes, time and effort to make the evening go with a swing. For those interested – below is one of the quiz rounds – how many birds do you know? (All spotted in Acocks Green).
