Pride is blooming out of the gloom
THE success of Cleethorpes In Bloom has instilled pride among residents, amid the doom and gloom of the recession.
That is the view of Jeff Blanchard, vice-chairman of Cleethorpes In Bloom, who believes the work carried out by everybody involved makes the town a better, brighter and more beautiful place to live, work and visit.
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Vice-chairman Jeff Blanchard, left, and chairman Bob Callison, of Cleethorpes In Bloom committee, celebrate winning the gold award
No one thing in the resort has illustrated the ability to bounce back more than the In Bloom team, since it was set up in 1999.
In 2000, the team was unable to participate in the In Bloom competition, with a lack of interest throughout the resort.
The Grimsby Telegraph paid Cleethorpes In Bloom's entrance fee to Yorkshire In Bloom in 2001 so it could start up once again. It has gone from strength to strength since and culminated in Cleethorpes hosting the East Midlands In Bloom awards ceremony at the Beachcomber last week.
Cleethorpes once again won the coastal resort category, being awarded gold status, as reported.
Mr Blanchard said: "I was very proud we were given the honour of hosting the ceremony.
"None of the visitors had anything bad to say about Cleethorpes at all. They thoroughly enjoyed their day.
"To top it all off, the tide was in for the first time when there has been judges or any In Bloom-related visitors to the town, and with the sun shining down on it, the area looked beautiful.
"It has put a smile on people's faces in the resort.
"It has been a real success story."
In 2005, ConocoPhillips came on board as Cleethorpes In Bloom's first major sponsor – the same year it first entered Britain In Bloom.
The team was awarded silver, bettering that two years later with a silver gilt award, and category triumph.
This year, they are once again entered into Britain In Bloom, and will find out the result at an awards ceremony in Torquay on September 23.
Mr Blanchard said: "There is a community spirit to Cleethorpes In Bloom – everybody comes together for it and works so hard.
"The resort is looking clean, tidy and graffiti free and it is down to the hard work of the whole community.
"It gives you a real sense of pride."
Comments
by Ste, Cleethorpes
Monday, September 14 2009, 10:30PM
“Excellent. We live in a lovely area. I have lived in many different places, yet Cleethorpes has got to be the most pleasant. There are problems, I acknowledge well, but they are well handled and the good far outweigh the bad. This pride is all well deserved and I am so pleased for all those who have participated, we need more of this from all residents.”