UK: Bristol in Bloom

Bristol in Bloom (picture) is enriching the city with stunning flower arrangements and makes positive environmental and social impacts on communities, Bodywise UK reports. There are a number of initiatives such as street cleaning, installing green roofs, encouraging pollinating insects and food growing.
 

Since 2011 Natracare has been working with Bristol in Bloom sponsoring vegetable beds and supporting youth gardening initiatives. The Edible Garden competition which Natracare sponsored this year invited pupils from 25 schools around the city to design a vegetable plot at Bristol Zoo suitable for growing food to feed the animals. The winning garden, designed by Bristol Cathedral School, was realised and is now admired by many visitors at the zoo with its mix of radishes, beans and purple carrots.
 

The School Garden & Allotment competition is a broader initiative run by Bristol in Bloom to encourage children to get involved in gardening and their ‘natural’ surroundings, as well as being a fun activity for the teachers. Garden vouchers donated by Natracare will be given to winning schools to help the schools invest in their allotments and gardens in 2013. Speaking about their involvement in Bristol in Bloom’s work, Susie Hewson from Natracare comments: “By supporting these great initiatives we are enabling school children to take part in projects that give them experience and knowledge about how to grow their own food and hopefully to encourage healthy eating and a love for the natural environment”.

Natracare