By Jim Corah
Kirkstall in Bloom finished their 2025 volunteer gardening sessions with a celebration for the fountain found at the Drink and Be Grateful Fountain Garden.
The fountain has been moved around Kirkstall a few times since its unveiling in 1865, though the current location is marvellous.
The garden, which includes benches and displays, provides a much-needed calm space for pedestrians alongside what is arguably one of the busiest roads in Leeds, the A65.
2025 has been a year of growth for Kirkstall in Bloom, both in the garden and with volunteers. Back in February 2025 the committee met with Grace Hills (Sparking Community on Instagram) to discuss broadening our activities for the year ahead. Over recent years maintaining Kirkstall in Bloom’s community gardens had been a struggle with diminishing volunteer numbers. Stolen plants and vandalism also sapped enthusiasm.
Community organisations need volunteers to keep going. While supportive words from members of the public help keep motivation, new volunteers help groups like Kirkstall in Bloom growing (pun intended).
With Grace’s help KIB were able to organise our social media presence better to promote our events to volunteers, which helped increase numbers over the monthly sessions. This also helped other members of the committee with planning for events like a plant sale in the summer.
At the Kirkstall Cenotaph new roses and other flowers have been planted, as well as six fresh new stickers for the planters to compliment the recent knitting displays.
Over at the sculpture mound the wild flowers continue to impress, with orchids spreading year-on-year, and the raised bed outside Kirkstall Leisure Centre providing a counterpart to traffic at the junction.
Looking ahead to 2026, which will be Kirkstall in Bloom’s fourteenth year since launching, continuing volunteering momentum will be key for the group. Monthly sessions are likely to begin again from February 2026, with events being posted on both social media and the Kirkstall in Bloom noticeboard at the Drink and Be Grateful Fountain Garden.
However, this demonstrates some of the issues facing the group, vandals smashed one of the glass doors earlier this year meaning only half the board is useable. Replacing the board will require funding and support from the community.
Kirkstall in Bloom would like to thank all their volunteers this year, who gave up their time to keep Kirkstall bloomin’ marvellous, and other members of the community who have reached out to them and provided support and ideas.
KIB aim to be an inclusive and welcoming community group to best reflect the wide variety in the community. More details on how to get involved can be found here.
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