Level Best, a local charity dedicated to improving the lives of people with disabilities, has been working with Colchester City Council to plant wildflowers in Castle Park.
The activity is part of the charity’s commitment to environmental sustainability and providing opportunities for people with learning disabilities to get involved in their community, which also sees members of the group undertake regular volunteering in the park throughout the year.
The wildflowers have been planted around the Blossom Circles, a series of interconnecting tree rings created in 2021 as a Covid memorial and part of the Colchester Woodland and Biodiversity Project.
The planting will help to boost biodiversity in Castle Park and forms part of a wider effort by the council to improve biodiversity in the city. Other initiatives include No Mow May, a campaign to encourage people to allow their lawns to grow during the month of May, and rewilding areas of the city that only get mown once a year. Wildflower seeding is an ongoing project, that will continue for the next couple of years.
Martin Goss, Portfolio Holder for Neighbourhoods and Waste at Colchester Borough Council, said: “We are delighted to be partnering with Level Best on this project. Wildflowers are essential for biodiversity, and we are committed to creating more habitats for wildlife in our city.
“We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of nature, and this planting will help to make Castle Park an even more welcoming and colourful place for people to enjoy.
Alison Ling, Manager at Level Best, said: “Our trainees enjoy the weekly sessions working with the park rangers in Castle Park. The group were excited to be involved in planting wildflowers, as not only is it important for local wildlife, but they also look fantastic when they bloom.
“After learning about wildflower planting in the park, the group put their newly learnt skills to the test and planted some outside our new base on St John’s Street, which have recently flowered. The trainees involved are excited to show their friends and family the difference they have made in their local community and look forward to the public and wildlife enjoying the work they put in.”
Level Best trainees have been regularly volunteering with the Castle Park ranger team for several years and are involved in a variety of tasks, ranging from litter-picking to planting and pruning.
Page last reviewed: 27 June 2023