🌸🚂 A Message from the Mayor of Thetford, Celebrating Community, Creativity, and 200 Years of Railway Heritage 🚂🌸

As Mayor of Thetford, I’m incredibly proud to share with you the story of a project that perfectly captures the spirit, creativity, and dedication of our wonderful town.

This summer, as part of Thetford’s Anglia in Bloom 2025 campaign, we have unveiled a truly special feature, a train themed planter, now permanently installed outside The Carnegie, beside the newly created Boudicca Pocket Park. This vibrant, imaginative piece pays tribute to 200 years of railway heritage, a milestone that resonates deeply with Thetford’s identity and history.

What makes this project truly remarkable isn’t just its striking design, but the way it came to life, through partnership, generosity, and community pride. The idea for the planter was developed by Thetford Town Council, and thanks to the outstanding support of Warren Services, it moved from concept to reality. Warren Services donated their time, expertise, and materials to fabricate the structure, and we couldn’t be more grateful.

Our green fingered heroes were at the heart of this project. The students of Thetford Academy’s Gardening Club worked closely with local designer David Bradley, who provided detailed CAD drawings that helped shape the final design. The students were also involved in planting the floral displays once the structure was ready, working side by side with our incredible Town Team. These young people represent the future of our town, and they’ve shown us that the future is in very good hands.

The painting of the planter was another brilliant example of community teamwork. El’s Painting, a local volunteer, joined Council members to paint the structure, with paint supplies kindly donated by Wickes Thetford. The plants were funded through the Thetford in Bloom Fund, which is generously supported by local businesses, further proof of how local investment can bloom into something beautiful.

On Tuesday, 8th July, we proudly welcomed the Anglia in Bloom judges to Thetford. We unveiled the completed planter and guided them on a tour of our town, highlighting our public gardens, green spaces, and the hard work of so many volunteers, businesses, and schools. A key moment was our tribute to Thetford’s green fingered heroes, past and present, who have helped shape the thriving, colourful town we all enjoy today.

This campaign isn’t just about winning awards, although I’ll be honest, we are proudly aiming for gold this year. It’s about celebrating our town, our people, and the civic pride that runs through everything we do. In recent years, Thetford has earned Silver Awards in 2022 and 2023, and a Silver Gilt Award in 2024 in the Large Town Category. That success is built on the passion and hard work of volunteers, young people, Council staff, and countless others who give their time to make our town a cleaner, greener, and more welcoming place.

Our volunteer groups, whether planting, litter picking, maintaining floral displays, or enhancing wildlife habitats, are the heartbeat of Thetford in Bloom. Week in and week out, these amazing individuals, including the students from Thetford Academy, are out in our streets, parks, and green spaces, putting in the effort that transforms our environment and lifts our spirits.

To everyone who played a role in this year’s campaign, Warren Services, Thetford Academy, David Bradley, Wickes Thetford, El’s Painting, our Council officers and volunteers, and so many others, I want to say a heartfelt thank you. You have not only built something beautiful, you’ve built something meaningful.

To keep up with Thetford Town Council’s projects and green initiatives, I encourage everyone to visit www.thetfordtowncouncil.gov.uk or follow us on Facebook.

Together, we’re not just planting flowers, we’re growing a stronger, more united Thetford, one we can all be proud of for generations to come.