Cookley in Bloom

Kinver & Kidderminster Rotary Clubs help Cookley Volunteers

The Rotary clubs of Kinver and Kidderminster have joined forces to support a group of volunteers in Cookley, a village lying between the two communities, who are seeking funds to undertake a series of projects to enhance the lifestyle of residents in the village,

The team behind Cookley in Bloom have, since 2018, created a community garden where vegetables may be harvested by villagers who may also take advantage of a lending library cabinet; converted a neglected roadside area into a formal flower bed and wildflower area; renovated neglected passageways, and subsequently extended the community garden by clearing an area of adjacent waste land and constructing a rockery.

The two Rotary clubs have now donated £750 to the group to enable them to move forward with plans for a sensory garden, primarily for the benefit of the local Dementia Group but which will be open to all; planting of an orchard using Worcestershire fruit trees; a children’s play area; a wildlife area ; and siting of a grow tunnel to ensure a continued supply of plants for all these projects and extend both the range and length of time the vegetables may be provided as well as the propagation of flowers to be used around the village .

It is also intended to construct a 2020 commemorative pebble pathway, formed of stones painted by people within the community, reflecting the impact caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Bill Southam of the Cookley in Bloom group says “This most welcome donation from the two Rotary Clubs will help us to move forward with our plans for the future to continue the embryonic work of the group. We have already raised money through crowd funding, plant sales, and raffles; however, it is calculated that we will need approximately £2000 to complete the work.”