CPS Goes Cbeebies

On the weekend of 28-29th July the CPS took part in the Cbeebies Mr Bloom's Nursery "Get Set, Grow" tour.

Mr. Bloom's Nursery "Get Set, Grow" Tour, West Bromwich

With short notice CPS Chairman Tim Bailey put together a small team, a collection of plants for display and a children's show and tell, and headed up the M5 to West Bromwich. Accompanying Tim were siblings Eloise and Connor Bailey, and CPS member Mitch Raymond.

Mr Bloom's Nursery is a popular Cbeebies series where children learn from the experience of nurturing vegetables, tended by Mr Bloom and his team of young helpers ('Tiddlers').

Tim said: "It was a great opportunity for the CPS to showcase the hobby, raise children's curiosity (and parents!) and for the kids to handle and explore a range of carnivorous plants close-up [sundews, butterworts, VFTs and various pitcher plants] from around the World."

Mr Bloom filming on location

During the event the CPS did various bits of filming with the BBC, footage of which we hope to see on Mr Bloom's TV program sometime next year.

Promoting the hobby in this way reaches out to new audiences, sows seeds, brings new people into this fantastic pastime and supports our commercial and non-commercial growers - we lost count of how many requests for plants we had!

In all around 7000 children and parents attended the event, most of which passed our way.

Tim added: "It was relentless, just when you thought you had a few moments to take a breath another group of wide-eyed children descended. We felt we talked to everyone!"

The CPS would like to thank the BBC and Mr Bloom's Nursery for inviting us, for their amazing organisation and a for a great experience. We'd also like to thank Mitch Raymond, Eloise and Connor for giving up their time to support our hobby, and for helping give the children a window into the wonderful world of carnivorous plants.

Left to right: Mitch, Connor and Eloise