Vivienne Bate – Beeston in Bloom

“Therapeutic, useful, enjoyable”

“I’ve always been interested in gardening, and I love where I live, I’ve lived in Beeston for 84 years, and I’m fond of it so I like to do something that makes it better.”

Vivienne has been a volunteer at Beeston in Bloom since 2000 and has found it’s an amazing way to connect with her community. Some years ago, her volunteering led to her inclusion on a panel to help distribute Government funds to projects in Beeston, where she was amazed by just how many community groups there were.

Beeston in Bloom aims to improve the neighbourhood and Vivienne can attest to this gradual improvement, whether that’s via the litter picking offshoot or the gardening projects. Vivienne told me more about the history of Beeston and how this has integrated into the projects by Beeston in Bloom, she told me about the painted utility boxes, one of which represents the links Beeston has to mining.

For Vivienne volunteering has enriched her life, and in her own words “it’s sociable, fulfilling” and full of friendships.