By Victoria Campbell, Community Builder for Brixham

Many locals and groups are keeping Brixham looking beautiful, tidying up neglected areas around the town, planting flowers and herbs for the bees and the butterflies.

There are displays around the town that are lovingly tended by volunteers.

I often overhear visitors who have paused to admire them saying how much they appreciate them.

Val Porter took the steps to clear and sort out the neglected piece of land at the bottom of Rea Barn, the Brixham Lengthmen helped dig it up and remove the waste, her neighbours donated plants and seeds. John Lane made the herb box for the herb garden, the crab pots were donated from Brixham Sea Farm, the Co-Op gave hanging baskets and not forgetting the water butt given from Hammer and Nails.

This all began with our Brixham BeeWell mental health support group in which Val had the idea to create a community garden, supporting mental health within Brixham – a lovely, relaxing space to stop and take a breather.

And there are now two disused old red telephone boxes that have been transformed as bug huts with wildflowers and pollen-heavy plants spilling out of what once were the windows.

Again, it was the people of Brixham that voted to ask Brixham Town Council to make the transformations.

The Brixham Edge young volunteers, led by Hannah Beaumont, have created a beautiful garden up at Furzeham, at the top of Vicarage Hill, on another bit of wasteland.

Everything has been donated from businesses and locals, it’s a space where you can sit and relax, enjoying the peace and tranquillity while listening to the bees buzzing happily about.

It is great to see the amount of hard work that goes into maintaining and helping nature in Brixham where the townsfolk are proud of their environment and put in many hours to show it off at its best.

It is the type of community spirit that makes Brixham what it is, a caring, sharing community and long may it be so.

If anyone is interested in helping or even starting your own project contact me, community builder Victoria Campbell on 07832 781 031 or email victoriacampbell@torbaycdt.org.uk