Stunning Tower of Flowers celebrates five years of country park at Trumpington Meadows
This stunning display of 1,000 hand-made flowers was created by a community of stitchers in Trumpington Meadows aged from eight to over 90.
The incredible ‘Tower of Flowers’ was installed on Monday at the local centre in advance of fifth birthday celebrations for the country park.
It is the work of the Trumpington Stitchers, along with residents of the Dennis Wilson Court, the Trumpington 1st Cubs and many others, who created the centrepiece for the anniversary celebrations during five months of lockdown.
The tower will be the starting point for a community parade on the day of the party – August 14 – which is being organised by Trumpington Meadows Delivery & Action Group (TMDAG).
In the meantime, it will provide a beautiful sight for passers-by.
Carol Holloway, chair of Trumpington Stitchers, said: “We are incredibly proud of what we have achieved together with our local community. It just shows that we can still have fun and be creative together even in a pandemic.”
Creativity was encouraged in the design of the flowers, which are made out of weatherproof materials.
They were knitted, crocheted, stitched, glued or tied together, and made of yarn, recycled plastic, felt, fabric or whatever else came to hand.
The Tower of Flowers covers two faces of the public artwork known as Hopscotch, created by sculptor Keith Wilson, who gave his consent to the project, which was also endorsed by the developer Barratts.
It was unveiled on Monday so that local schoolchildren could enjoy the spectacle before they broke up for their summer holidays, and happened to coincide with the so-called Freedom Day, on which coronavirus restrictions were lifted.
And it is hoped it may inspire others to join Trumpington Stitchers, a group that meets weekly for social, charitable and community stitching of all kinds and welcome new members from complete beginners to experienced stitchers.
The country park, managed by the Wildlife Trust, is a 58-hectare nature reserve featuring meadows, woodland, parkland and hedgerow that lies either side of the M11.
The meadows are home to once-common wildflower species such as knapweed, field scabious, bird’s foot trefoil and salad burnet, and attract birds including skylarks, yellowhammers and meadow pipits.
A haven for local residents, the reserve officially opened in June 2016.
Beyond celebrating the fifth anniversary, Trumpington Meadows Delivery & Action Group plans international celebrations throughout the year in the local centre.
They are hoping the centre itself will be renamed, in line with nearby Hobson Square and Byron Squares, in a way that reflects the array of international residents living in Trumpington Meadows.
After this year’s Christmas celebrations, the group is planning to add a special Chinese New Year event in 2022.
For more on the free fifth birthday celebrations as they are announced, visit the Trumpington Meadows Facebook Group or visit trumpingtonmeadows.org.uk.
For more on the Trumpington Stitchers, visit trumpingtonstitchers.net.
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