The Friends had been looking to enter a North West in Bloom bid for some years but it had always been put on a back burner due the the additional work and funding required. At a volunteers meeting early in 2018 the possibility was again discussed. This time it was overwhelmingly decided to “Go for it”. The Royal Liverpool Golf Club came on board with their groundsmen cutting the new quadrant beds. Magenta Living also came on board with some very much appreciated funding. After advertising our bid to the community many new volunteers offered to help. 
We came across some lovely fibre-glass boat planters which we offered to to shopkeepers at cost price with many shops taking up the opportunity to be involved.  These boat planters were not suitable for all shops, many had hanging baskets instead. Three schools, ‘ Hoylake Holy Trinity’, ‘Great Meols Primary’ and ‘Our Lady of Pity’  The schools helped cut and plant new beds in Parade Gardens and create new beds in their school grounds.

The village, parks and train stations were all looking good with the boat planters, hanging baskets, new beds,and many individuals creating their own floral displays. One thing we were not happy with was the general state of untidiness and weeds of our high street pavements and Hoylake station approach. Our volunteers puled out all the stops and had a general “clean up” of the whole village.

BBC North West heard what we were doing and came along to film our volunteers and what we did in Hoylake and Meols,
Eventually judging day came around which was quite an experience taking the judges on a tour of everything we do in Hoylake and Meols. All the work involved turned out to have been well worth it when we won ‘Best Newcomer Award’ and the ‘ Silver gilt Award’

Below are pictures taken from our bid along with the filming by BBC North Wes