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School song boosts village in flower-power contest

Andrew Turner/BBC Children of Filby Primary School with members of Filby in Bloom dressed in 1960s clothesAndrew Turner/BBC
Children at Filby Primary School singing a rewritten version of the song San Francisco, which will be played to Anglia in Bloom judges

Children at a Norfolk primary school have performed a song they hope will help their village win a floral competition.

Filby, near Great Yarmouth, chose a 1960s theme for its entry to Anglia in Bloom, to mark the decade in which the Britain in Bloom competition began.

Pupils at Filby Primary School have been rehearsing a specially-rewritten version of San Francisco.

The 1967 song will be recorded and played to judges on 15 July.

Andrew Turner/BBC Members of Filby in Bloom's committee pose next to a car filled with flowersAndrew Turner/BBC
The centrepiece of the village's display is a Mini Cooper cabriolet filled with flowers

The children said they were excited to take part in the competition, and it helped them show gratitude to the committee which made the village look pretty.

"We love the flowers and everyone works so hard to make the flowers beautiful," said Isabella, nine.

Jaxx, 11, said: "The flowers attract bees because all the flowers are giving honey to them."

Nancy, nine, added: "It's been lovely and we just want to say thank you for all the work that everyone has done putting all the flowers round [the village]. It makes Filby look amazing."

Andrew Turner/BBC Headteacher Jo Snelling standing by a floral display and iron railingsAndrew Turner/BBC
Headteacher Jo Snelling said taking part in the competition helped children understand their responsibilities to the environment

Headteacher Jo Snelling said the project had helped engage children with the older generation who invested their time and effort in growing and tending the plants.

She said: "The children are so proud to be part of the village of Filby and I think the school plays a important role.

"We love taking part in Filby in Bloom. It really makes the children think about their responsibilities to the environment; not just in the village but on a wider scale."

One of the pupils, Evalie, eight, said: "All the flowers make the village really pop and makes it so everyone wants to come."

Matthew, nine, said: "It's a really nice place. All we've done for [the competition] and all the nice flowers we have in Filby, it's the place to be."

And Gracie, 10, added: "Filby in Bloom makes Filby so unique. I don't think there's another village in the country that's like Filby."

Andrew Turner/BBC Adrian Thompson, chairman of Filby in Bloom, dressed in 1960s clothes and wigAndrew Turner/BBC
Filby in Bloom chairman Adrian Thompson said judges would be played a recording of the song when they visit the village next month

Adrian Thompson, chairman of Filby in Bloom, said he was pleased how much interest the school's staff and pupils had taken in the competition.

He added: "[Committee member] Glen Unstad wrote the lyrics and the children and teachers took it on, and it's been fantastic.

"They've done remarkably well. [The committee] tried to sing it and we couldn't!

"What they've done is unique... It's something special."

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