GREEN-FINGERED volunteers with an eye for neatness are being encouraged to help an authority keep the district’s public gardens in tip-top condition.

Tendring Council’s hardworking horticulture team is responsible for planting and maintaining a number of beautiful open spaces across the area.

Be it Clacton’s seafront gardens or Cliff Park in Dovercourt, the group’s workers are always on hand to ensure a variety of the district’s sites always look easy on the eye.

Their efforts, however, are underpinned by a team of volunteers who like to play their part in the gardens’ upkeep, while keeping both physically and mentally fit and making new friends.

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Tendring Council is now appealing for more residents who may be interested in becoming a volunteer to give as much of as little time as they would like to the cause.

All equipment is supplied, including outdoor clothing, and direction will be given by the council’s experienced gardeners.

Michael Talbot, Tendring councillor responsible for environment, said the involvement of the community was what made Tendring’s public gardens so special.

“Our gardening team works so incredibly hard, and do an amazing job, but they cannot be everywhere at once and also have a lot of important maintenance to do such as grass cutting in our parks and the like,” he said.

“The support given by our volunteers is vital to keeping our gardens looking at their very best, all-year around, and I heartily thank them for all that they do.

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“Gardening is so good for you – getting you out in the fresh air, keeping you active – while volunteering is also a very social activity.

“So if this appeals to you, and you want to get involved in making your local area looking nice, please do sign up.”

Among other things, the volunteers will mainly help to plant new and replacement flowers, keep weeds at bay, and generally make sure the areas look nice, with the chance to get involved in other projects too.

In recognition of the importance of outdoor activities and volunteering, £35,000 has also now been allocated in the council’s Back to Business plan to support the management of an increased volunteer team.

Diane Sexton, one of the volunteer team at Clacton’s seafront gardens, added: “It’s great to help out the community and make friends, and it is so good for your mental and physical health.

“Just being together, especially after lockdown, is fantastic and we do have a laugh and get on well as a team.

“People love the gardens and come and thank us, so it is very rewarding and uplifting to hear all of the gratitude, and to see what it means to them.

“We’re not able to change the world but we want to look after our little bit of heaven.”

Friend and fellow volunteer Rose Wilkins agrees.

She said: “It’s especially nice for people in flats who don’t have a garden, to come and help out.

“The amount of visitors who say it’s so much better than what they have at home shows us how important it is for tourists, and how lucky we are.”

Anyone interested in volunteering is asked to contact Sean Biswell, Tendring Council’s temporary community and volunteer projects manager within the Open Spaces team, on 07786 660603 or at seanbiswell@tendringdc.gov.uk.