'Night and day' transformation as Chesterfield community heroes bring colour back to Brimington

Chesterfield Litter Pickers (CLP), a volunteering group which recently received a BBC Make a Difference Award, stepped in to bring colour back to Brimington.

The group, well known for their litter picking efforts, worked together with Cllr Richard Smith, Derbyshire County Council member for Brimington, to restore forgotten run down planters.

Lee Brassington, who launched Chesterfield Litter Pickers, said: “Team CLP really wanted to bring some colour back to the area, so we got the ball rolling.

"We started by removing all the dead flowers and clearing the planters ready for a fresh start.

“Cllr Richard Smith kindly got in touch and donated money from his Community Fund, which enabled us to purchase a fantastic selection of new plants.”

Soon three volunteers including Lee, Carla Richards and Susan Wild went to Orchard Plant Centre in Shirebrook.

The group came back with a wide range of flowers including Winter Pansies, Heather, Violas and more – as well as tulip bulbs, daffodils and Chrysanthemums donated by the Orchard Plant Centre.

Lee added: “This was incredibly kind and very much appreciated.

"We spent this morning planting everything, with Cllr Richard joining us to lend a hand.

"Five planters worth of flowers is quite a task!

"By the time we reached the third one, we were definitely ready for a break.

“Thankfully, The Red Lion, Brimington kindly offered us some refreshments, which went down very well!

“The transformation is absolutely night and day.

“They just need a good watering now, and hopefully they will flourish over the winter, bringing a bit of colour and life back to the one-way system.

"We really enjoyed today. It’s fantastic when everyone comes together and works as a team to make a positive difference to our local community.

"A huge thank you to everyone who donated, helped with the planting and supported the project.”