Thanks to Fran Lee for this uplifting news story –

Some of  the members of The Acocks Green Village in Bloom team had been looking after the War Memorial in front of our library since 2007 and this has been carried on with even more gusto since Acocks Green  entered into the Urban Category of Britain in Bloom in 2012. To echo the poppies of Flanders Fields, the garden here was planted with mainly shrubs and perennials which flowered red, backed up in Summer with annuals again which flowered red.

When gardening here, it was noticed that some of the paving when damaged had been replaced with concrete. Some thought was put into this problem and it was decided that as it was 2014, the centenary of the outbreak of the Great War, something ought to be done to rectify this problem, preferably by re-paving the area in its entirety.  It had to be this year. The Bloom team approached E.H. Smith, a local builders’ merchant to see if they would supply the pavers to us as they had provided bricks for the Orchard created last year.  To our joy, they agreed.

Patched up memorial before enhancement

Work completed – a transformation

Bloom Team and Library Staff

Stewart Stacey, the local councillor who serves as a Cabinet Member on Birmingham City Council, spoke to Acivico the company which sources the contractors for council premises and again they came to the rescue and found a contractor, Kendrick Construction who agreed to lay the pavers.  It all happened in the blink of an eye at the end of June.  As promised, Coleman & Company, Demolition Contractors appeared with their skip one morning and the contractors worked until 9 p.m. to get the pavers laid on the same day which meant that no prolonged inconvenience was caused as this area provides access for wheelchair and pushchair users.

We did not forget!

Fran Lee
Co-ordinator – Acocks Green Village in Bloom