Those of us living in the Parish will have received the latest Londonthorpe and Harrowby Without Parish Newsletter recently, and we were very excited to see an article in it by Parish Councillors, Mr Parnham and Mr Armstrong about the Millennium Garden!

The keen members of our Gardening Club love their work improving the local area and having the opportunity to have hands on experience of creating a garden which we think looks beautiful! Our thanks go to Mr Parnham, Mr Armstrong and Mr Bakker for giving us their time and expertise and to the council for providing the resources.

You can find a copy of the article below:

"During 2024 the Millennium Garden at the junction of Kenilworth Road and Harrowby Lane has continued to be maintained by the children from the Gardening Club at Belmont Community Primary School.

This forms a part of the school's link with the community and has been a rewarding venture for both the children and the Parish. Their continued looking after the garden is part of a wider initiative which is being followed in the school to form greater connections within the local community. Our Clerk Peter Armstrong has continued to plan the activities in conjunction with teachers Mrs Pallier and Mrs Eggleston and he has also been assisted by Councillors Parnham and Bakker.

We have seen up to ten enthusiastic children attending at any one time and getting to grips with the preparing and planting of summer bedding plants and have been a joy to work with.

The project is also a useful link for the children's schoolwork in science and gives them a sense of ownership and pride in their community when they witness the colourful results of their hard work on their way to school and back. This initiative is giving some children who have never had the chance to see things grow, a hands on experience. They will be reconvening the club after the summer holidays ready to plant the garden up for the spring. Most of the plants and compost etc are provided by the Parish Council. Councillors have also assisted the children to plant hedging in their nature area at school and with the propagation of seeds.

You may have noticed the wooden surround around the Millennium Garden had deteriorated considerably and this has now been replaced by recycled plastic boarding which should last indefinitely. G Parnham & P Armstong."