WSM Lions “disheartened by some misunderstandings” over floral clock
The charity concreted over the floral clock earlier this week because they said they didn't have enough volunteers to keep it maintained
The charity who have been maintaining Weston-super-Mare’s floral clock has said it has been “disheartened by some of the misunderstandings” after they concreted over the flowerbeds.
Weston-super-Mare (WSM) Lions said they did not have the resources or volunteers to keep it watered, but the decision to concrete over the flowerbeds with the intention of painting a mural came as a shock to the town. Now North Somerset Council — which owns the clock but did not sign off on the plan — has said they will remove the concrete and restore the flowerbeds.
In a statement, WSM Lions club president Chick Parkin said: “The Weston Floral Clock has generated a lot of conversation and interest in the last week, and we are pleased to see such a high level of engagement from the local community. But we’re also disheartened by some of the misunderstandings.”
He said: “The Lions have been trusted custodians of the Weston landmark since 2014, when the council could no longer fund its care and maintenance. While beautiful, the design was impractical and expensive, costing £15,000 a year at the height of its glory.
“In 2023, WSM Lions had a meeting with North Somerset Council and presented a creative and sustainable new design for the floral clock, including work from a local artist, hardy shrubbery and a revived clockface.
“As proud Westonians ourselves, our intention has always been to transform the floral clock into something that the community could be rightly proud of and that would be durable enough to remain an attractive landmark despite the lack of council funding.”
He added: “We are delighted to hear the council has decided to get involved with the floral clock once again, and we will continue to talk to them about their plans.”
The Lions club has been active in the town for 55 years, organising and supporting a host of local event, such as Weston Lions Real Ale & Cider Festival, Mud Master, Weston Carnival, Pines for Pounds, the Visually Impaired Bowls Tournament, RNLI Bucket Collection, the Sea Shanty Festival, Prostate Cancer Screening, Charity Casino Nights, the Pride of Weston Award, and Go Kids Go.
The charity regularly raises over £40,000 a year which it donates to local individuals and national and local charities, including Weston Hospicecare, Sands and Prostate Cancer UK.
Mr Parkin said: “The Lions’ motto is ‘We Serve’ and we will continue to do this. We hope the enthusiasm this discussion has created around the floral clock will continue, and we look forward to connecting with even more Westonians.”
In a statement released on Friday (February 9), North Somerset Council said it would remove the concrete and restore the flowerbeds after an “urgent meeting” with the Lions Club. The council’s executive member for culture and leisure Mike Solomon said: “We will continue to work closely alongside the Lions Club to finalise plans for the future of the floral clock. We want to again thank them for volunteering their time and effort for many years to maintain this space.
“In this current financial climate, when we’re all feeling the squeeze, it would be impossible for us to look after the clock without the hard work of volunteers and the goodwill of the community.”
Before taking the decision to replace the flowerbeds with a mural, the Lions had asked for more volunteers to help them water the floral clock — but only two people responded.
Anyone interested in volunteering with the Weston Lions Club and helping to maintain the flower clock can contact them at www.wsmlions.co.uk or on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lionsclubwsm
People are being urged to sponsor the floral clock. If you are interested, contact North Somerset Council’s communications team via communications@n-somerset.gov.uk