La Baguette

by Margaret Holland-Prior

Some of you will have noticed the two banners, one at Seven Oaks and the other close to the airport garages, advertising that The Parish is a Finalist in Britain in Bloom 2008.
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Organised by The Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), Britain in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in Europe, involving hundreds of communities each year. The aim is to create lasting improvements to local environments for the benefit of everyone as well as for wild life. This is not just a one year wonder but an on-going commitment. We are proud that, for the third time in 10 years, we have been selected to be a finalist in this competition.
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Britain in Bloom began in 1963, covering all communities in the UK and, since 2001, the RHS has organised the competition, bringing in a number of developments to ensure that the campaign grows and relates to our ever changing communities. The RHS introduced a quality award scheme recognizing the standard of each entry thus providing a benchmark for continued improvement. , and unannounced judging emphasizes that there is year round effort.
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St Brelade is in the relatively new "Small Coastal Resort" category, which recognizes the specific issues of sand, wind and sun! We are up against stiff competition from Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland and even Herm!
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There are two visits from our Judges, the first in April. The Judges making their own way round our Parish aided by a carefully notated map and a list of key places relating to the specific areas of Award interest. The judging takes into account horticultural effort and sustainable development, as well as local environmental quality. The route showed the Judges the conservation work at Les Creux, Noirmont and Ouaisne, the tubs and hanging baskets being prepared at HM La Moye, The Winston Churchill Memorial Park and the Promenade Walk in St Brelade’s Bay and St Aubin.
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One of the categories in summer judging is Community Involvement and I am delighted that we have interest from young to young in heart! St Aubin’s and St Brelade’s Youth Clubs are helping in the litter clean of The Railway Walk and at St Aubin’s Fort. La Moye WI has been out several times cleaning up around the sports centre and a section of The Railway Walk. A successful beach clean up was organized in mid April for St Aubin’s beaches and in May there was work done at St Aubin’s Fort. Jersey Field Squadron has offered to improve the hard standing at the Fort and, later this summer, they will be taking part in the volunteer weekend work at Pont Marquet, when we will be removing scrub and JSQ will dredge out the silt pond. 10th St Brelade Scouts and St Brelade Guides plan to be working out at Les Cruex, under the guidance of John Pinel of Environment Services.
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In mid August we have another round of judging when St. Brelade will be in full colour, with hanging baskets and tubs everywhere around the Parish It is an exciting time for our Parish as we continue to improve the environment for all our inhabitants and, hopefully to win our category in Britain in Bloom. Every one of us can contribute to make St. Brelade truly the paradise we know it to be!