Donations have been flooding into Ledbury in Bloom, to make up for team’s disappointment of missing out on a fourteenth gold medal in a row, due to the Covid crisis.

Ledbury in Bloom chairman, Clive Gunn said: “The volunteers at Ledbury In Bloom have not taken this year off despite the cancellation of the official competition.

“Their disappointment at missing out on their chance to extend their run of fourteen gold medals has been lifted by a number of donations that have been used to fund a programme of refurbishment starting in The High Street and The Homend.”

He added: “For some time, the committee have had an outline plan to replace the old wooden barrel planters with state-of-the-art self-watering ones.

“Amberol’s in-built reservoirs contain all the water ready for the plant to use and there is no waste. Made in Britain with recyclable polyethylene, units are virtually maintenance free and are carbon friendly. They have been marked using the ‘Smartwater’ system to help with maintenance and monitoring and planted initially with some plants that have been recovered from the old tubs, some of which have been repositioned to extend their usefulness.

“The project has been masterminded by my deputy, Christina Vass, to whom I am extremely grateful. She has also managed the small groups who have safely kept the beds and troughs looking neat. The funds have been balanced by Treasurer, Jane Gunn, from a selection of bequests and donations, mostly anonymous.

“They have varied in size but I must stress that we are equally grateful for all donations. The project continues this weekend.”