Bee-friendly blooms set to spring up across Freshford and Limpley Stoke thanks to £3,700 boost from Great Western Railway

Meadow In My Garden CIC successfully applied for a grant from the train operator’s Customer and Community Improvement Fund, which supports local communities and addresses areas of social need.

It was used to fund last month’s Rivers of Gold Big GWR Bulb Plant, with more than 20,000 bulbs planted from Freshford station along three main routes:

1. to the Galleries, community shop, café and bus stop
2. to Limpley Stoke, passing the old railway station and community-owned Hop Pole pub, before joining with the canal towpath
3. around the Cross Guns pub and Avoncliff station.

Native daffodil bulbs (Narcissus pseudonarcissus lobularis) were used extensively at Freshford station, and for landscaping in hedgerows, woodland areas and verges.

Additional species included 'Tenby' and 'February Gold' daffodils, Tulip Specie Sylvestris, Crocus Specie Romance and Eranthus Hyemalis (Winter Aconite).

Joining members of Meadow In My Garden were GWR Station volunteers, Friends of Freshford, Nature Chain, Beavers, Cubs, Freshford School and pre-school, the Horticultural Society and individual households.

Meadow In My Garden Director, Paul Jupp, said:

“We are extremely grateful for this funding from Great Western Railway, which will provide masses of pollinator-friendly flowers cascading through our villages throughout the spring.

“We're so lucky to be part of a thriving community in an outstandingly beautiful part of the country. Projects like this help to promote pride in our villages and bring a greater sense of community cohesion.”

GWR Senior Community Impact Manager, Emma Morris, said:

“The Customer and Community Improvement Fund is a fantastic opportunity for us to invest in our communities in projects that really make a difference at a local level.

“Meadow In My Garden have led from the front to devise a project which will provide a sea of colour, help local bee populations to flourish and put a spring in the step of the local community.”