EXCLUSIVE: Swindon horticulture group urges residents to help make town more eco-friendly
The award-winning Tadpole Garden Village in Bloom has a major focus on sustainability
Last updated 28th Jul 2022
Swindon residents are being urged to do "something small" in becoming more sustainable, to help the town achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050.
Horticulture group Tadpole Garden Village (TGV) in Bloom has a strong focus on the environment and, after last week's record-breaking heat wave, wants local people to follow in its eco-friendly footsteps.
Since being founded in August 2019, the North Swindon organisation has operated an allotment in the village, and scooped the silver award in the nationwide gardening competition 'Britain in Bloom'.
TGV in Bloom has also introduced various measures to mitigate the allotment's carbon footprint.
The irrigation system for the greenhouse is powered through its own solar panels. In addition to this, the allotment uses recycled plant pots and wood chippings, as well as compost bins and water butts.
TGV in Bloom has pledged "not to buy plants" where possible, instead growing from seeds and cuttings.
Another 36-plot allotment is scheduled to open in the village later this year.
Outside the allotment, the group engages with the local community too, recently running a wildlife planting project for children at Tadpole Farm Primary Academy. Pupils have been growing flowers with peat-free compost, using planters made from old tyres.
Volunteers have also opened dedicated bat corridors and bee hotels across the village, and host regular litter picking events to assist local residents.
'We try and promote sustainability through horticulture'
Having now amassed more than 700 members on its dedicated Facebook page, TGV in Bloom is evidently going from strength-to-strength. Co-founder Pete Welsh has spoken exclusively to Greatest Hits Radio.
"When we have a new project, we always look at: 'How can we make it more sustainable?'
"Even if you think it's small, and it might not have an impact, if everyone does something that's really small, all together it can have quite a big impact.
"That's how we feel and that's how we try and promote sustainability through horticulture," he said.
Climate emergency
Pete's words come hot on the heels of Swindon Borough Council declaring a climate emergency earlier this month, with the local authority acknowledging it needs to act on the causes and impact of climate change.
As well as confirming its desire for the entire Swindon borough to have net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, the Council has also doubled-down on its pledge to make its own operations carbon neutral by 2030.
To help achieve both aims, the local authority has vowed to introduce a borough-wide food waste collection service, operated by electric collection vehicles.
It's expected the scheme will be rolled-out in September 2023.