Planting Project Commemorates Villages Wartime Links
Mature students at Derby College Group’s Broomfield Hall have designed and planted a flowerbed in Horsley Woodhouse to commemorate the important role that the village played in World War Two.
Picture shows, from left DCG Horticulture students Cath Davison, Sean Smith, Claudia Bain and Sally Filby with teacher Mike Baldwin.
Horsley Woodhouse was home to three factories which were opened at the beginning of the war following concerns that the main Rolls-Royce factory in Derby would be targeted by German bombers.
Initially, old and damaged RAF engines came to the village’s factory to be stripped and sent for scrap before two of the sites were charged with inspecting Merlin engine parts which powered the iconic spitfire planes. A third factory was involved in the building of a new tank engine for the Army.
Keen to showcase this wartime link, Horsley Parish Council contacted the Horticulture team at Broomfield Hall to create a planted memorial which has recently been completed.
The part time students, who are all studying for the RHS level two qualification, and teacher Mike Baldwin, have created a circular red, white and blue flowerbed with the outline of a spitfire aeroplane at the centre.
Local historian Don Barham explained: “The locals nicknamed the operation the “Spitfire” factories as the Spit had become the iconic fighter of the RAF after its victories in the Battle of Britain during the summer of 1940.
“The name stuck and has always been associated with these sites in the village so it is very appropriate that we have something to commemorate them.”
Parish Council clerk Kay Richardson added: “We have had some great feedback about the flowerbed and look forward to it becoming more established in future years.”
One of the mature students involved, Cath Davison from Littleover, said: “I didn’t know I had such a passion for gardening until lockdown so enrolled on this course to develop my knowledge.
“It has been great to work on a live project and to put something back into a local community.”
More News From Amber Valley Info
| Residents Urged To Temporarily Limit Fridge And Freezer Disposals By Derbyshire County Countil Steps are being taken by Derbyshire County Council to temporarily limit the number of read more | |
| South Normanton Shop closed in partnership operation On Wednesday, PCSO Hunt from the Amber Valley SNT assisted Derbyshire County Councils Trading Standards department with inspecti read more | |
| Have you spotted an orangutan cycling around Amber Valley? Alfreton man Peter McEvoy is preparing to cycle 425 miles from Sheffield to Paris dressed as an orangutan, raising money f read more | |
| Partnership agreement marks another milestone for the Market Place redevelopment The transformation of Derby's Market Place has taken another step forward, with the signing of a Mas read more | |
| 75% of Derby and Derbyshire residents now signed up to the NHS App Nearly three-quarters of people in Derby and Derbyshire are now registered to use the NHS App, following a surge i read more | |
The Amber Valley Info Noticeboard
| Food waste recycling is coming to Amber Valley From June 2026, Amber Valley Borough Council will introduce weekly food waste recycling across the borough as part of a phased roll-ou read more | |
| Stallholder Bookings Now Open For The Tansley Big Day Out We're excited to announce that Tansley's Big Day Out 2026 will take place on 6th & 7th June 2026! read more | |
| Christmas and New Year bin collection dates Over the festive season, bin collections will operate on revised schedules. Some collections may take place up to two days earlier than u read more | |
| Launch Of WOMBLE MANIA! At the Heights of Abraham, Opened by Marcus Robertson, Son of Wombles author, Elisabeth Beresford, officially launched WOMBLE MANIA! at the Heights of Abraha read more | |
| Belper School and Sixth Form Centre Closed Today Due to a significant water leak, resulting in the water being turned off at school, we unfortunately have to close the school today. read more | |
