Junction's bloom for improvement

The ‘Drink and Be Grateful’ garden on Kirkstall Road, opposite the leisure centre, is cared for by a dedicated team of volunteers from Kirkstall in Bloom.

And now the team has been handed a £3,000 grant from Leeds City Council’s Inner West Community Committee. The grant is the first part of a two stage project to repair the stone steps and back wall ahead of the installation of a colourful mosaic.

The mosaic will be created by local charity Seagulls Paint, which suffered damage in the Boxing Day floods but is now up and running again.

The work will complement other investment by Leeds City Council to improve the environment around the junction.

The works include new landscaping by the leisure centre, banners created by schoolchildren and a public art commission.

Councillor Kevin Ritchie (Labour, chair of the Inner West Community Committee) said: “It was a pleasure to award this grant to the fantastic volunteers from Kirkstall in Bloom.

“They really do an amazing job and I am looking forward to seeing the garden when it is completed.”

Councillor Lucinda Yeadon (Labour, Kirkstall) added: “The Boxing Day floods caused absolute mayhem in Kirkstall and Seagulls Paint were closed for quite some time afterwards while they recovered.

“So it is lovely to see that they are back on their feet and ready to create something that will be a vibrant and colourful welcome to the heart of Kirkstall.

“I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Kirkstall in Bloom volunteers who work so hard to keep our area looking bright and attractive and I would like to wish them all the best of luck for their first ever entry into Britain in Bloom.”