WIB in the News

News items concerning Wetherby in Bloom reported in other media.

From the Wetherby News Friday 22nd July 2022 - 'our roving reporter' column.

Right on cue, the heavens opened at the appointed hour, umbrellas went up, guests huddled under gazebos; it could so easily have been a washout. However, the rain did not dampen the spirits of those in attendance and laughter and conversation flowed. As the celebration got underway and the rain abated, what became apparent was that this celebration included people from many local community groups; however, one charitable group took priority at this event.

Normally in this column, I would be writing about Wetherby & District u3a, however, this time I am writing about another community group in Wetherby. I was invited by Jeremy and Martine Burton, members of u3a, to go along to celebrate the longevity of Wetherby in Bloom. They had arranged a drinks reception in the grounds of their beautiful house and garden, to acknowledge and celebrate the voluntary work carried by this group over a period of 33 years, keeping Wetherby gloriously floral over that time, particularly during the summer months. Residents and visitors to Wetherby cannot fail to have noticed the beautiful hanging baskets adorning the town, the planted Jubilee, Wilderness and Anchor gardens, and the town entrance flower beds. Thirty-three years of constant flowering plants is some achievement!

Wetherby in Bloom (WIB) was started in 1989 by John Williams and Colin Wardman who began by creating planters and window boxes around the town. They won a Certificate of Merit which encouraged them to develop the idea further. In the early 1990’s Rosemary Rogers planned and cleared, with help from a large group of volunteers, the entire planting of the Wilderness Car Park Garden. Geoff Yates, who organised the watering of the town’s floral displays, asked Margaret Dabell and her husband Raymond to take over the role after he retired. At this point Yorkshire in Bloom awarded the Regional Gold Award to WIB and asked if they would enter the National Britain in Bloom to represent Yorkshire in National Competitions. By the end of 1990’s WIB were put forward for the International Floral Competition Entente Florale for floral, environmental, and seasonal planting. After 20 years and much success Geoff Humble, long-standing Chairman, and the Committee decided to devote all their efforts for the town and not towards competition. So began the second phase of the floral journey of the town as WIB volunteers decided to make Wetherby the best place in which to live.

How does all this happen? In the quiet manner of its current Chairman Margaret Dabell, and the Committee of ten, WIB has an organised portfolio with training sessions, rotas, and equipment. It has garaging for its electric milk float and a tractor and bowser for its nightly watering of hanging baskets. This can take two people around two to two and a half hours every evening in the summer months. Eighty volunteers are involved in the watering rota, and this means that most people carry out the task only once a month. Four couples plant and maintain the town signs and small groups of volunteers meet regularly to weed and feed the flower beds around the town.

On the first Sunday of each month the teams get together and hold a project morning, gardening, cleaning up, tidying up, and sweeping up. Work goes on all year round, choosing colour schemes, ordering plants, composting, planting, dead heading. The busiest months being June to September when volunteers can be seen tending to the wide range of baskets, planters, and beds.

The town of Wetherby has 11,000 residents and those who volunteer are part of this community and when asked why they volunteer they say it is because, its ‘home’; they ‘want to give something back’; ‘Wetherby has a lovely community feel’; their work ‘keeps the town vibrant by making it attractive and a place to visit and spend money’; and volunteering for many retired people a ‘salvation’ when a partner dies.

If you enjoy living in Wetherby, feel pride in your town and would like to contribute to WIB, pop down to the Jubilee Gardens on Westgate any Tuesday morning to chat with Margaret and the volunteers to find out more. Take ‘A Floral Walk Around Wetherby’ available from various outlets in town. Check out their website. www.wetherbyinbloom.co.uk