Our Year

Some of our Activities

Last Updated 10th June 2025

May 2025

Filby Halt

This year, Britain in Bloom is celebrating 200 years of the modern railway in Britain and Filby’s contribution is the construction of its own ‘Halt’. In practise, the nearest the railway came was the station at nearby Ormesby. It was opened in 1877 and later became part of the Midland and Great Northern Joint Railway route bringing holiday passengers from the Midlands to the Norfolk coastal resorts. It was closed in 1959 along with the rest of the line.

From our Greenhouses

Our Summer bedding, almost ready to plant out!

Pictures courtesy of Facebook’s Filby in Bloom page.

Percy's Bed

Filby Primary School on TV

It was wonderful to see Mr Thompson and the Filby in Bloom team featured on BBC’s ‘Look East’ last night. Well done to our School Council for doing their bit with the watering too!

Pictures courtesy of Facebook’s Primary School page.

Filby Bridge Restaurant's Boat

Pictures courtesy of Facebook’s Filby in Bloom page.

Church Activities - Kissing Gate

The Kissing Gate gets a repaint.

Before

After

Church Activities - Wheelchair Access

The joint project between the Parish Council and the Bloomers, restoring the Wheelchair Access Pathway from Thrigby Road to the Filby All Saints Church. Learn more about this project in a download Project Diary.

Before

After

April 2025

During the winter months a review of the display features and several repair & repainting jobs were managed by some of the craftsmen, Nick, Merv, Ted & Tom. The item included the Bus Shelters, repairing the benches on the Pound, the Norfolk Trumble, the horses and the seed drill, with the aim to return the items to public display by the end of May. New feature items for this year’s judging incentives were undertaken. Adrian, Mick & Tony, creating the Caravan to join the existing Mini and, last but not least, Glenn creating the railway platform to celebrate Britain In Blooms 200 years of Train Travel. All completed by the end of May on schedule.

Bus Stop Repaint

Grey Horse Repaint

Before

After

Cart Repair and Repaint

Tom repaired & repainted our farm cart and improved its looks by making and adding the new cartwheel, all during April.

Our Holiday Theme

The caravan display planted up.

Growing On

Chairman, Adrian Thompson, conducts a guided tour of Filby’s growing on facilities, demonstrating plants for our displays for the 2025 season.

Video courtesy of Facebook’s Filby in Bloom page.

Easter Fayre

Filby In Bloom took a stall at the Easter Fayre in both Filby and Stokesby Halls. The combined events raised over £340.

New Village Sign

New sign chosen to be displayed for those entering Filby Village.

Church Activities - Grave Restorations

Continuation of the planned restoration of older graves, another five this year, including William and Mary Alland’s family memorial.

Before

After

March 2025

Percy Hudson

It is with great sadness that we announce that Percy, one of the founding members of the Filby In Bloom team of volunteers, passed away, on 9th March, aged 93. Percy was, from the very start of “the Bloomers”, a driving force, inspiring & encouraging the team.

By profession, Percy was a carpenter. He designed & built various model structures, some of which are still on display about the village, the windmill at Poplar Drive, the pergolas on the Pound and the date above the bed on the corner of Thrigby Road, which had many add-ons including crowns, and babies as celebrations of Royal events.

When Percy retired from various posts supporting the Village activities, the Thrigby Road bed was re-named Percy’s Bed in his honour. Percy planned the design of the bed for each year. It takes 1400 plants to fill Percy’s bed.

In Loving Memory of

Percy Frederick Hudson

10th July 1931 – 9th March 2025

Missed by All

Some of Our Team

Pictures courtesy of Facebook’s Filby in Bloom page.

Potting On

Pictures courtesy of Facebook’s Filby in Bloom page.

Our Chairman helps out at Filby Primary School

Pictures courtesy of Facebook’s Filby Primary School page.

Bridge Clean

During a road closure, the team took the opportunity to clean the road bridge between the broads.

Bench Repairs

Repairs and repainting of one of the Benches, on the Pound, assessed in February, completed in March.

Before Feb 2025.

During Mar 2025.

Completed Mar 2025.

Church Activities - Pruning

Bloomers undertook training, learning how to prune the Standard Roses.

February 2025

Weeding & Mulching at the Club Room

Time to weed, prune, & mulch the beds around the Club Room and trim the hedges around the playing field, clearing the area ready for the wild flowers to surface.

Bench Assembly

Two of our In Bloomers bench testing their work after assembling two, new, sponsored benches prior to their location in the village and their dedication.

Travel Display

The caravan arrives, ready to be reconstructed into the Travel display item..

January 2025

Percy's Bed - Preparing the Display at Thrigby Road Corner

December 2024

It was during December 2024 the new greenhouse facilities were made available to the bloomers team and the planning of use took place over a cup of tea or coffee.

Sir Trotalot Repaint

Before.

After.

November 2024

Bonfire

Waste trimmings from various locations in the village incorporated in the building of the bonfire, lit to accompany the Annual Village Firework display.

Before.

During.

After.

Annual Firework Display

Annual Firework Display Ad.

Video courtesy of Facebook’s Filby Village Hall page.

October 2024

Church Activies - Raising the Canopy

Raising the canopy of the trees in the new western burial area at Thrigby All Saints Church. Timing was tight to complete the work in time for the trimmings to be provided to the bonfire for the firework night celebration.

Northern Lights

On the night of 12th October, the Northern Lights came to Filby, the aerial display began around 21.15 and lasted until well after 02.00 the next morning. Folk were out during the event taking some amazing photos.

New Compost Bins

In October, Nick led the team in building new compost bins for the Bloomers having taken training in the best ways of creating good compost. The construction took 95 railway sleepers, loads of metal plates and rebar and masses of screws. Oh and lots of hard work!

Composting

The return from display of 160 hanging baskets to be broken down to start the new composting process, careful re-cycling of the plants and the recovery of 480 Begonia Corms that are stored over winter ready for replanting the viable ones in the spring.