Green-fingered beavers awarded by In Bloom judges

The 7th Crawley Beaver Colony have scooped an In Bloom award for their work turning part of a grass verge into a colourful flower bed and vegetable patch.

Seven years ago the colony adopted a patch at the corner of Winchester Road and Durham Close in Tilgate and the meet several times a year to litter pick, plant and nurture plants and tidy it.

It formed part of the Let’s Face It Campaign of the South & South East in Bloom competition. They achieved Outstanding in the It’s Your Neighbourhood category.

The colony was judged on three sections: community, environment and gardening. For the community element they worked with the Tilgate Forum, Crawley Borough Council and residents to transform the area. Their environmental responsibility was assessed in their work installing bird boxes, composting, collecting water in a butt and their litter-picking. They also designed and made a bug hotel at the scout camp in Pease Pottage.

The beavers showed their gardening skills planting various plants, which this year had a patriotic theme for the Queen’s 90th birthday.

They planted blue and white morning glory and red, white and blue begonias among the perennials already there which include strawberries, a range of herbs, marigolds, sweet corn, French beans, nasturtium, poppies and sunflowers.

Scout leader Yvonne Seetayah said: “Out of a mark of 100, the Colony gained 86, which just pushed us to the level of Outstanding.

“It has taken us only seven years to reach this point bearing in mind, a Beaver Scout only spends two years in the Colony. So, well done Beavers, parents and leaders for your perseverance.”

Ruth Growney of South and South East in Bloom presented their certificate at the colony’s base in Furnace Green earlier this month.