By Jim Corah
2024 has been a challenging year for Kirkstall in Bloom. As every member is an unpaid volunteer, gardening in our community garden allows for a break from the other pressures and strains of our lives, although it also means that our other pressures and strains spill out into our gardening.
The positives of 2024 have been some exceptionally good sessions at our sites in Kirkstall.
The Drink and Be Grateful Fountain Garden, our main site, has looked fantastic and many members of the community have come to speak with us about it. Through the summer the display was a particular joy to see, and for our volunteers knowing that people use the garden to rest and meet friends helps on the cold/rainy days we’ve been out there.
Across the back of the garden is a lovely mosaic that came about through work with Leeds City Council, Seagulls, and the help of former councillor Lucinda Yeadon. Local resident Alison Gordon came along in autumn to help maintain the painting and mosaic, which was very refreshing for the monk.
Our other sites include the Kirkstall Cenotaph and it is good to see that people use the bench to take a moment for reflection.
Less good is to see the litter being left around the area. Since beginning Kirkstall in Bloom our volunteers have noticed the significant change in how much litter is left on the sites, along with Leeds Litter pickers KIB has had a positive impact on people’s behaviour.
Over the A65 there is another of our sites. After the Latent Power sculpture was installed, KiB have maintained the mound under the sculpture. In late 2023 we planted seedballs of wildflowers and this year the mound was alive with wildflowers and insects. It is such a gorgeous location alongside the traffic.
Volunteering has many benefits both personal and the community. KiB has one session remaining at the end of November, then will be back around February 2025.
In the new year KIB will start to post on Facebook and Instagram the plans for 2025. As a welcoming and friendly group there is hope that more volunteers will continue to help Kirkstall blooming marvellous.Â
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