This week Blackpool saw the Party-organised renovation of some wasteland on the Grange Park Estate into a community garden.
David Cameron (pictured in the domed greenhouse with PPC Ron Bell and landscape designer Jeff Hewitt on big speech day) took time to visit the project, as did Francis Maude (who got sprayed with water by the kids), Theresa May (in those boots), Tobias Ellwood (who wrote a conference diary for ConservativeHome of the progress of the St Mary’s Church project in Bournemouth last year), and a big group of Conservative Future members.
Thanks to photographer Anthony Whitehead for the photos.
The whole garden was created in three days, just in time for William Hague to come and declare it officially open yesterday lunchtime. He gave some prizes out to the kids and expertly planted some "Ffion Hague" daffodil bulbs which, like his wife, needed to be "well watered and tucked-up".
Well done to the local Conservatives, and to Nicola Blackwood, Blaine
Robin and Jo Hillier from CCHQ, for making it all happen. Do watch this three minute video of an enthusiastic Blaine showing you around the place, there’s a nice surprise at the end:
The projects are in a ward of Blackpool North that has been taken for granted for years, but the Conservatives closed the gap to about sixty votes at the last election there so this may help tip the balance. Paul Maynard (pictured), the PPC for that part of Blackpool, also held workshops in the new greenhouse on healthy eating and planting vegetables, and spoke to the local primary school with PPCs Karen Bradley and Andrew Percy about taking action on the environment.
Since the CCF organised a social action project at spring forum last
year it’s becoming a tradition to do one every time the party has a
national event. "Be the change"! I haven’t noticed other parties doing
anything like this at their conferences yet, but if this kind of social
action became the norm both politicians and the public might have a bit
more belief in the public-spirited nature of politics.
Deputy Editor