VOLUNTEERS are being sought to keep Liss blooming in 2018.

This year a small group of volunteers planted a number of flowers in the village centre, Riverside Walk, Liss Railway Station, Andlers Ash Road and Hill Brow Road.

With funding from some businesses, as well as a grant from Liss Parish Council, Liss in Bloom volunteers were able to obtain colourful hanging baskets from Luff’s Nursery in Headley to enhance the village centre.

In addition, the East Hampshire Community Rail Partnership, whose stakeholders include the South Downs National Park Authority, South West Trains and East Hampshire District Council, funded planting around Liss Railway Station.

Through the hot dry spells all these flowers have been maintained and watered by Michael Jarman and the volunteer team, with residents and business owners benefitting from a blooming village.

In spring this year businesses in the village centre were invited to help with a donation towards the hanging baskets and Liss in Bloom volunteers thanked Jade News, Liphook Bakery, On All Floors, Serenity, Tesco Express, Turtle Bean Coffee shop, U-Do DIY, Vista Vision and The Wool Shop, for their donations.

Plants are very expensive, and with increasing limitations on council and grant funding, Liss in Bloom volunteers appreciated all of the donations.

Next year the plan is to build on this new beginning and involve a much larger number of businesses and individuals in coming forward to donate towards the plants to make Liss even more attractive.

People willing to help with planting up and adopting a planter to water through the summer period and then pruning and replanting for the autumn are needed, so anyone who has a trowel and a watering can and a small amount of time to spare should get in contact.

Those who can help should e-mail [email protected] or call the Liss Parish Council parish office on 01730 892823 for more information.