Flower power helps cancer fight

A BLOOMING good fundraiser has been launched to raise money for Cancer Council Tasmania and add some vibrant colour to local gardens.

The City of Hobart Parks and City Amenity’s Daffodil Day fundraising project was officially launched at Hobart Town Hall on Tuesday.

Cancer Council Tasmania CEO Penny Egan said the City of Hobart had grown almost 200 pots of daffodils for sale to the public to raise funds for the Cancer Council.

Nursery and skills centre supervisor Chris Barton said the Tete-de-Tete daffodils were a miniature variety perfect for growing in pots which, in ideal conditions, should flower for five to six weeks.

The pots will be for sale to the public at the HCC Service Centre, on the corner of Davey and Elizabeth streets, for $5 a pot or a donation to CCT.

Mrs Egan said Tasmania was one of only three states able to go ahead with Daffodil Day in 2020 due to COVID-19 complications.

“We will be holding our usual stalls statewide on August 27-28, but there are many other projects underway, including encouraging schools and businesses to ‘turn yellow’ and hold yellow fundraisers in the lead-up to Daffodil Day on August 28.”

Alderman Jeff Briscoe, parks and recreation committee chair, said the City of Hobart was pleased to support such an important cause. “We’ve all been touched by cancer to varying degrees,” Mr Briscoe said.

“Just recently, a close friend of mine was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. That’s my reason for buying a daffodil this year,” he said.