Each year the Alford Town Council enter the town in the Best Kept Town competition. In 2007 the judges made some disparaging comments on the lack of floral displays in the main Market Place which “looked rather drab”. So, the Town Council and in particular Cllr Paul Lane, decided to make 2008 the floral year. Donations and sponsorship from local businesses, Magpies Nest, Lloyds TSB,Seacroft Ford helped to cover the cost of the watering and care of the plants, and Mandys Plants and Woodthorpe Garden Centre helped to spread the initial costs of the plants, planters and soil needed. Cllr Lane’s partner, Sarah, spent many a Sunday potting and planting and those businesses who wanted baskets bought them from the Council ready planted. Baskets were even hung on the signs at the entrances to the town. Each evening two lads water all the baskets and troughs in the town, and check the condition of the plants.

It’s been a huge community effort, from the businesses donating funds towards the cost of watering, to the businesses buying the baskets and displaying them, to Cllr Lane and Sarah planting and siting the baskets, the Garden Centres giving good deals on the plants and donating planters and to the Town Council providing the hidden benefits to the scheme such as insurance cover and payment for the watering. Not all the floral displays are as a result of this though, Angelene's Patisserie always has an excellent display and has again this year done us proud. If the town is successful this year in the Best Kept Town it will be due to that community effort, and everyone who has been involved, even if it is just hanging a basket, needs a huge thank you.