HOOK in Bloom received another boost last week with the help of MP Ranil Jayawardena.

The north east Hampshire MP visited the village last Friday in support of the Hook in Bloom project, which has been aided by the Tesco Bags of Help grant.

Since Hook in Bloom was awarded the £8,000 Tesco grant in March, there have been many a morning and afternoon spent by volunteers planting and weeding flower beds around the village.

And last week it was the turn of Mr Jayawardena to pick up the shovel and help with the regeneration of Hook’s flowerbeds.

The green-fingered MP helped plant a rose on Fairholme Parade to go alongside other spruced up flower beds in Grand Parade, the Elizabeth Hall, Hook Community Centre and outside The Raven Hotel.

The MP said: “I was very pleased to be part of the Hook in Bloom event in Hook last Friday. Despite the pouring rain, it was great to see the difference that this project has made to our area.

“With Tesco’s support, I am sure that we can make sure our village centre is a beautiful place for everyone.”

Volunteers have decided to focus the majority of the planting on the County Series of ground cover roses. The dense, bushy roses produce an abundance of flowers from June well into late October and early November.

Hook In Bloom volunteer Sue Hinton added: “We knew the project would not be an easy, quick fix, there would be lots of hard work, but it is thanks to Tesco that the funding side of things has been made so much easier by giving us £8,000 and we have not had to go after lots of tiny amounts of money to achieve our ultimate goal.”

Wooden troughs have also been ordered and will soon start to appear, with three to be installed outside the Tesco store, another two on the paved area outside Hook Tandoori, and three under selected Hook village signs.

Sandra Tidy, community champion at the Tesco store in Hook, said: “With Tesco’s help we can really start making our vision for Hook in Bloom a reality, and turn our village centre into a beautiful place for everyone.”