Sunflower competition

 Grow with it - sunflowers,

On a sunny spring day here at Polmont community hub (PCHub) we gathered with anticipation for a new first of event at ourl hub. The cheerful atmosphere was buzzing with laughter and the sweet scent of blooming flowers as Forth Environmental Link (FEL) hosted a delightful Easter celebration. It was a day full of joy, learning, and a wonderful opportunity to kick off the “Grow With It” campaign in collaboration with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).

As families arrived at our easter event they were greeted by the vibrant sight of saplings in tubs of various plants and foods, and also - sunflowers, their golden petals still small but about to grow brightly under the warm sun. Braes Friendly Growers (BFGs) had set up a charming plant sale featuring an array of edible plants, encouraging everyone to take a step towards growing their own food. Guests delighted in the idea that they could cultivate their very own treats right at home! 

People chatted excitedly about growing this into a sunflower growing competition, the convener of the local community council grasped this idea and instantly organized a competition to enter with Polmont Community Council. Then grew a palpable sense of community spirit as neighbors encouraged each other to make their gardens, balconies, and windowsills come alive with colorful blooms, all while supporting the vital pollinators that help our planet thrive. 

Even the littlest green thumbs joined in the fun, planting sunflower seedlings that would bloom into towering giants, much to the joy of everyone involved. The BFGs welcome everyone with open arms, they gather every Tuesday morning at the hub to lend a helping hand and share gardening tips. They are an inclusive group where young and old come together, united by a passion for growing and embracing the natural world.

 The big day arrived Sunday The 3rd of August Happy Measuring Day for the Golden Sunflower Growing Competition! we celebrate all the amazing entries and the effort everyone put into growing their sunflowers. It was great to see the community come together for this fun and engaging event. Whether your sunflower is tall or small, every plant has its own charm. We made the most of this special day and enjoyed the the whole process! 🌻

the convener of Polmont Community Council was out with his measuring tape, which was actually a massive surveyor's rod minus theodilight for triangulation purposes, the biggest ruler that polmomt community hubs sustainability managers ever seen, he laughed as his effort was measured, the entries that were put into the councils Google form for judgement from all over Polmont got their height measured that day, Even the little one on the black bulls windowledge,

 Michael the measurer announced the winner, and gave them their prize from Polmont Community Council, It was a fun event with many lessons learned from it being this sunflower competition's inaugural year, for example, the seedlings the BFG`s gave out were not the biggest variety of sunflower! We at the hub will be requesting the BFG`s get a bigger variety next year, also maybe next year we could add a beautiful, fun, golden wooden spoon for the smallest yet most loved flower, such as the community pub's windowsill effort