Communication, Education and Awareness
Countryside Team staff have been working with the Friends of Copthorne Park to remove willow from their site. The willow is coppiced on a cycle and can only be done during the summer months when access to the ditch is dry enough. This is important work as not cutting the willow would eventually lead to the ditch drying up with the loss of the habitat. It also shades the nearby floristically rich meadow. Some of the cut willow has been donated to Shrewsbury Men's Shed for their coracle making course to be held later this year.
Countryside staff and volunteers have completed their second annual litter pick of the Reabrook watercourse. Starting from Romsley Drive, they worked all the way up to the golf course. Over both sessions they have collected bikes, scooters, shopping trolleys, TV, sofa, ammo box, doors, heras fencing blocks, metal bars and 31 bags of litter out of the brook.
As part of national Big Green Week the Countryside Team, with the help of volunteers, have been busy removing Himalayan Balsam from along the Castle Walk nature trail. Himalayan Balsam is a non-native invasive plant originating in Asia. If it isn’t removed it outcompetes many native plants and creates a monoculture. It grows predominantly on the edges of water courses and is an annual plant, so when it dies off over the winter it can leave the riverbank devoid of vegetation. This can then lead to bankside erosion and sediment build up in the river, damaging aquatic ecosystems and transporting contaminants.
Residents of Shrewsbury are invited to visit the Town Council’s greenhouse for a behind-the-scenes tour as part of Shrewsbury in Bloom’s annual Open Evening. Visitors have the opportunity to view the facilities and are encouraged to ask horticultural questions of both Town Council staff and Bloom Committee members.
The Shrewsbury in Bloom Group encourages local residents to submit their iconic photos of the town as part of the annual Bloom Portfolio photographic competition, which now takes place during the summer / autumn. Winning entries appear on either the front or the back covers.
The Shrewsbury in Bloom Town of Flowers competition has been re-invigorated along with Schools and Allotments. Within the Schools competition, judges will be looking for examples of vegetable gardens, wildlife areas and attractive, well maintained grounds containing trees, shrubs and flowers. In particular they would be seeking out evidence of the educational use of grounds and direct contribution from children and young people.
Shrewsbury Men’s Shed has accomplished an impressive amount in just three years. They serve as a vibrant community hub, hosting groups like dementia support, men with cancer, woodturners and horticulturalists. Key projects include restoring Percy Thrower’s Greenhouse, launching a ferry service to improve town centre access, and supporting Afghan families with cooking, crafts and establishing their own sheds. Their work is driven by a commitment to Shedders, the local community and the environment. The glasshouse once owned by famous Shrewsbury gardener Percy Thrower was officially re-opened by a special guest – his daughter Margaret. The greenhouse has been lovingly restored and relocated piece by piece to a new home by Shrewsbury Men's Shed over several months. It was donated to the group by the Town Council.
Climate Change has been the focus of a lot of work by Shrewsbury Town Council with a commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030. A new website has been developed to detail the initiatives and actions which are taking place.
Shrewsbury was officially named a City of Sanctuary. This status recognises towns that go above and beyond to welcome refugees and asylum seekers. Local organisations like Shropshire Supports Refugees have played a pivotal role in creating a welcoming environment, from organising cultural exchange events to providing essential resources.
Shrewsbury Town Council supported the Great British Spring Clean in March, which is the 10th time Keep Britain Tidy has run this campaign. We asked for volunteers to help with a vital conservation task near Monkmoor Pool at Monkmoor Meadows River Ground site. 20 volunteers removed tree wraps from trees that the Town Council planted back in 2020 as a means of enhancing the floodplain.
This year saw the establishment of a Youth Town Council. With membership taken from all senior schools, members of the Youth Council have been active in advocating the town as a great place for young people. They initiated the Bloom Schools Competition and most recently two youth councillors presented their views to the Shrewsbury Moves Festival.