A RIVERSIDE area of Chipping Sodbury has been spruced up thanks to In Bloom volunteers. 

Members of Sodbury In Bloom and the now disbanded St John’s friends' group met on Saturday morning to clean up the riverbank along the River Frome and a community orchard in Couzens Close. 

Green-fingered helpers pruned fruit trees and cleared the primrose bank in St John's Riverside Park.  A beekeeper was on hand to make sure the hives in the orchard were doing well. 

Sodbury In Bloom secretary Julia Bernau said: “It was a success and we got a lot done but we would like more members.  Ideally we want to see the friends group resuscitated as we took it over when South Gloucestershire Council said it could no longer manage the group because of cutbacks. 

“We would also like to establish a friends group for the community orchard which contains the bee hives.” 

Sodbury In Bloom is planning a big spring clean in Chipping Sodbury on Saturday, March 19 and will be asking other community groups to get involved and lend a hand. 

Judging for its entry into the South West In Bloom competition will take place in June and the colour scheme will be red, gold and black in commemoration of 100 years since the outbreak of WW1 and the 70th anniversary of the D Day landings. 

A workday takes place on Thursday, March 6 (10am), meet outside the Baptist church on High Street.  For further information contact Pat Fryer on 01454 853736.