Blooming lovely disused boat swaps surf for turf

Workers position the Mallara on the side of Hollingworth Road near to Canal Street

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A retired boat has left a life on the ocean wave and is being brought back into service as a floral centrepiece in Littleborough.

The creative idea is part of the Pennines in Bloom partnership between Rochdale Council and various community groups and community champions. The aim is to get the community involved in planting schemes like this and ensure the Pennines areas continues to be a beautiful to live and work in.

Every year, the Council’s Township and Environmental Management team submit Pennines, Rochdale and Heywood for inspection by independent inspectors from the Royal Horticultural Society as part of North West In Bloom competition.

Last year, Pennines won a silver gilt medal and everyone involved is hoping this latest joint project will push Pennines us to the next level and secure a silver gilt/gold medal.

The Pennines in Bloom committee have been given the boat, Mallara, by Link4life. She was previously used by pleasure seekers at Hollingworth Lake but is no longer in operational condition.

Mallara was lifted by crane lifted onto a grass verge on Hollingworth Road near to Canal Street and she will be filled with soil and a variety of plants to create a magnificent floral vision when in full bloom.

The Council provided a driver and wagon with a grab arm to transport the boat from Hollingworth lake where Link4Life have them in storage to their final resting site.

A member of staff with a mini-digger will dig out a scrape that the boat will sit in and then the Pennines in Bloom committee will organise the actual planting. 

Council environment portfolio holder Cllr Jacqui Beswick, said: “This project is a great example of the Council and community organisations working in partnership to achieve more than they could working separately.

“It really as a marvellous idea and will provide a real focal point when the flowers burst into life from the boat. We want people to feel their neighbourhood is a place of beauty and initiatives like this help enormously with that aspiration.”