Cultivating that Christmas cheer

After launching Illumination Street on the nation, we got in touch with some of our communities to see what they were doing to celebrate the festive season.

Bob Bennett, of the Root n Fruit community garden in Stoke, Staffs, was one of last year’s Cultivation Street finalists. He told us they are hosting an event on-site on Saturday with mulled wine and mince pies.

One of the standout features of the garden is their living willow hut, from which this year they will run a Weaving Willow Wreaths workshop for families.

They will use locally-sourced holly and ivy, along with some other festive berries and evergreens – including fresh rosemary from their own plot.

With a conscious effort to help the environment in all they do, they are calling for recycled Christmas ribbon to add finishing touches to the wreaths.

Christmas is a time when everyone comes together, and the event is open to the whole community – as many as 60 people are expected to attend.

The garden hosts many community events to support local organisations, many of which help out those suffering from social isolation.

A great advocate of rallying the community together, Bob will be entering their homemade wreath into the Illumination Street competition in the Best Front Door category – with the chance to win a new front door worth up to £1,500, courtesy of our sponsors Safestyle UK, and up to £100 cash.

If this has inspired you to design your own display, see illuminationstreet.com for ideas. You don’t have to be part of a community garden to enter – there are categories for everyone – but you must enter by next Sunday, December 15.

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