​Floral tributes to our NHS and key workers

Rainbow tributes to our heroic NHS and key workers such as social carers have been installed outside Bury Town Hall for all passers-by to see.

The multi-coloured displays include giant NHS letters, golden keys and flower beds, while the nearby benches and metal hanging basket trees have also been given the rainbow treatment.

The work was designed and carried out by the council’s grounds maintenance staff, and one of our Bury-based contractors, N.P Kelly Painting, provided their services by painting the displays.

The flower displays include a heart-shaped bed of red begonias, with various coloured begonias around the perimeter and a mixture of perennials planted in the stone works, along with some cana lilies at the back. When these all come into bloom they will enhance the display further.

The display is at the Manchester Road side of the town hall outside Bury Register Office, and will be on show for the summer only. The wicker bride and groom normally at that location are being kept in storage as weddings are not currently being held at the office due to the Covid-19 lockdown.

There will shortly be another display installed at Heap Bridge in Bury. The displays have been created using existing budgets and plants ordered before the lockdown that would otherwise have gone to waste.

These displays complement the rainbow road markings and messages that have been installed at a number of prominent locations across the borough to thank NHS staff and key workers. 

Councillor David Jones, cabinet member for communities and emergency planning, said: “The Covid-19 crisis has shown, if any proof was necessary, that the NHS is our national treasure, as are our key workers such as social carers. 

"Staff have worked tirelessly, in very difficult and often risky situations, to look after us and we owe them a huge amount of gratitude. I also want to pay tribute to all those in the community who have also done a key job at this time.

"We thought these floral tributes would be a colourful way of saying thanks, and my thanks also go to Bury company N.P. Kelly Painting for bringing these rainbows to Bury.”

ENDS

Press release issued: 12 June 2020.

Picture: With the new tributes are grounds maintenance staff (from left) Liam Baker, Derek Fleet, Steve Tonge, Dave Sweeney, Alex Clark, Matt Bannister, Matt Atherley Stuart, Brian Robinson.