Community canal project wins Britain in Bloom award

Rochdale Canal in Littleborough has won an outstanding level 5 award by Britain in Bloom

A community project on the Rochdale Canal in Littleborough has won an outstanding level five award by Britain in Bloom.

The Canal & River Trust, the charity which cares for the canal, has been working with volunteers from the local Towpath Taskforce – a team of local people who volunteer once a month to help improve the canal.

Since April, the volunteers working in partnership with Pennine in Bloom, Community Payback and Hopwood Hall College have been working on a mile long stretch of the Rochdale Canal between Bridge 50, Hollingworth Road and Bridge 51, Canal Street in Littleborough. They have created a thriving community garden along the canal that visitors can enjoy and admire.

The judges from Britain in Bloom were particularly impressed with the rebuilding of a limestone wall, wildflower planting, creating new fruit tree orchards and a community herb box creating a wonderful place for people to come and pick their own fruit and herbs on the canal.

Jodie Weathers, volunteer leader at the Canal & River Trust said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this award which is the highest level to achieve especially in our first year of entering – it is such a huge achievement.

“Volunteers from the Towpath Taskforce team have really made such a difference to this wonderful local amenity on their doorstep and we can not thank them enough. As a charity, we rely on local people’s support to make sure the canal stays in tip top condition. I would encourage anyone who loves the outdoors, enjoys some physical work and would like to meet new people to come along.”