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The Bedlington in Bloom Project is fantastic! It show visitors, even those just passing through on a bus, and of course the local Residents that all hope is not lost. It also shows just what can be done when a small Group of enthusiasts sacrifice their leisure time instead of sitting around complaining about the present situation and what might have been if events had taken a different path. The Bedlington in Bloom Project has some very interesting and desirable effects. It's getting Young residents involved in their Community, instilling pride in the appearance of their Town, giving them areas to be proud of because they've helped to create those areas by planting trees and flowers which will be available for their Children - the next generation of Bedlingtonians - to see and be proud of. If that's not rejuvenation I don't know what is!

Foxy I've yet to come across a politician who treats the electorate fairly never mind a level playing field!

As I see it, it's all about long term planning. Bedlington is never going to be a hub of industry. Would we really want that? However, it's got great potential as a commuter Town. Let's make it attractive enogh to make people want to live there or at least spend their liesure time (and Money) there. OK, if all that's said is true then the infrastructure , at the minute, is possibly not the best but it can be worked on. Once you've got sufficient people living there things like bus services and schools tend to follow in their Wake. It may even become attractive, and viable, for Investors such as Tesco. The real investment, however, is in the following generations of Bedlingtonians and that's where Projects such as Bedlington in Bloom are doing such a great job. Anything we ex-pats can do Malcolm? Seeds? fund a flower bed?, Adopt a tree? Plant a shrub? Buy a terrier bench? Get your thinking caps on guys!!

"Planting flowers and putting up park benches will not Rejuvinate Bedlington." No, it won't, but I'm not sure anyone said it would. It's a voluntary organisation, which aims to make the town look nicer thanks to the hanging baskets and further, and (no I'm not involved) I for one am thankful it does so. I like to see the town looking as good as it can, I think the benches are great. People put hard work into the scheme simply to achieve this: why knock it? Surely you'd rather have it than not have it? I have an idea: we're all (me included) very good at telling each other what WON'T work for the town; why don't we all have a go at proposing what will work? Let's not get back into the 'we need money that Ashington gets' thread because we all now that, let's think on another level: if these people involved in the In Bloom scheme are willing to put in some of their precious time to make the town look pretty, what can the rest of us do in a similar vein? Or are we all simply comfortable sitting on our backsides typing frustrated rants?