Volunteers Spruce Up Planter Area at Weavers Court
10 September 2026
A community volunteer and Diss Town Clerk spent last Saturday giving one of the town's entrance points a well-deserved makeover, carrying out maintenance works at the planter area on Weavers Court, adjacent to The Saracens Head.
The day focused on tidying and revitalising the planting area, with dead leaves removed from the New Zealand flax and collected by David Whatley of DesignerMakers21 to be recycled for use in weaving projects. The pampas grass was also cut back and the adjoining garden bed carefully cleared, revealing a long-hidden brick edging and an oak sapling which appears to have successfully survived this summer's hot weather.
The team swept the entire area, collected a significant amount of litter and added fresh compost to help improve growing conditions. The next stage of the work will include refreshing the metal container with a new coat of paint.
The volunteers were delighted to receive words of encouragement from many passers-by throughout the day and would like to thank everyone who stopped to offer their support.
Special thanks also go to George Waterman, Chair of Roydon Parish Council and the Diss Community Woodland Project, who joined the effort during the afternoon. George had already spent the morning working at Quaker Wood and later continued on to Bombard Copse, demonstrating his ongoing commitment to local environmental projects.
Diss Town Council is particularly grateful to its newest volunteer, who has already contributed approximately 20 hours of work across the town. Since joining the initiative, she has visited more than 30 planters throughout Diss, tidying each one, assessing its condition and developing a planting plan for future seasons.
Building on this work, the Town Council is currently preparing a grant application to secure match funding towards future planting costs, helping to ensure that planters across Diss continue to provide an attractive welcome for residents and visitors alike.
The volunteer initiative is helping to deliver the recommendations arising from Diss Town Council's recent review of planters across the town centre. The review found that, while the planters make an important contribution to the appearance of Diss, the growing number of containers had become increasingly difficult to maintain. As a result, the Council has agreed to create a more sustainable floral scheme by reducing the overall number of planters and focusing resources on fewer, higher-quality displays in the most prominent locations. The changes will help ensure that planters remain attractive, manageable and beneficial for residents, visitors and local wildlife.
The Council would also like to recognise and thank the many volunteers, shopkeepers, community groups and Floral Diss supporters who have helped care for the town's planters over the years. Their dedication has played a vital role in keeping Diss colourful and welcoming, and the current review builds on the strong foundation they created.
"These planters make a real contribution to the appearance of the town and it's wonderful to see volunteers willing to give their time and expertise to help care for them. We are extremely grateful for the support received and look forward to further improvements in the months ahead." Sarah Villafuerte-Richards, Town Clerk
