Our History
In 2010 Angmering Parish Council (APC) were invited by South and South East in Bloom to enter their annual competition (part of Britain in Bloom). APC advertised for volunteers to form AIB, and several residents came forward, three of whom John Goulding, Lorraine Wensley and Julia Phelon are still with AIB today. A Committee was set up with two Parish Councillors and the volunteers.
It was decided, early on, it would be better for AIB to become an Association in order to apply for grants for specific projects.
We entered the Competition from 2011 – 2016 receiving three Silver and three Silver Gilt awards. Along with the time spent on each years activities, many more hours were spent producing a document, with photographic evidence, planning a visit for two judges including a presentation and a planned walk around the Village. This became very time consuming, so in 2017 it was decided to withdraw from the Competition and to concentrate our time on enhancing the Village.
We have worked with local schools and Scouting groups on horticultural projects, including planting the Beehive Bed for the King’s Coronation and running a tallest sunflower competition.
We have been involved in creating new floral beds at the High Street, Arundel Road, Nursery Road, Station Road, Water Lane, the Community Centre and the Cala roundabout, all of which we continue to try and maintain and replant.
AIB encouraged various organisations to plant a number of trees as part of the Queen’s Green canopy.
The Village map and St Nicholas garden information board were designed and produced by AIB.
In Spring and Autumn we plant the trugs and planters at the Community Centre and on the Village green and also in Autumn we plant hundreds of bulbs in areas identified by both AIB and residents.
AIB receive funding from local businesses, who generously sponsor us, and the annual plant sale which, thanks to support from local residents, is becoming more popular every year.
The number of AIB members has increased from six to currently 21, and we think of ourselves as friends as well as volunteers. We meet every Wednesday morning either in the Village Centre or at the Community Centre followed by a well deserved coffee and chat.
We post regularly on the Angmering in Bloom Facebook page to keep local residents up to date with what we’ve been working on. We also share information on this website.
We hope to continue our work to enhance the Village for many years to come.
