DORCHESTER businesses competed to brighten up the town in sunflower style.
Over the summer, Dorchester was taken over by sunflowers for the ‘Summer of Sunflowers’ competition, raising money for Dorset County Hospital’s Kingfisher Children’s Unit and Cherkasy Hospital in Ukraine.
More than 40 shops, museums and cafés across the town got involved in creating their own creative sunflower window displays.
Taking first place in the competition was Vinyl Van in Brewery Square which took a rather unique spin and cut and shaped vinyl records to create beautiful sunflowers for their window, which were accompanied by sunflower themed record sleeves.
Helen Moody from Vinyl Van said: “Sunflowers have always been a favourite flower of mine, so it has been lovely to be able to make the window display and have more flowers up in the store.
“We have enjoyed getting involved in Dorchester’s Summer of Sunflowers, it has been brilliant to see the town looking so bright and welcoming and to raise money for such worthy causes.”
Runners up included The Posh Partridge Café on High West Street, who worked with students from Portesham Primary School to create the main sunflowers in their window display which were accompanied by other homemade sunflower decorations made by customers.
Fudges Wool Shop on Durngate Street took third place by creating a window display showcasing hand crocheted, knitted and woven sunflowers.
Hazel Hoskin from Maiden Castle Farm who judged the window displays said: “I am blown away by the creativity of businesses in Dorchester and Poundbury taking part in the summer of sunflowers.
“The local involvement has been outstanding, with many schools and community groups being involved in making the window decorations.
“Thank you to everyone for inspiring sunflower themed smiles for people that walk by and raising important funds for our two chosen charities.”
As well as local businesses, Dorchester Town Council commissioned local artist Claire Nuttall to create huge aerial sunflowers that have been suspended across the South Street.
Maiden Castle Farm brought back the Dorset Sunflower Trail on the outskirts of the town and Dorchester Town Council gardeners also incorporated different varieties of sunflower into the beds at in Borough Gardens.
If you would like to donate to the fundraiser you can do so here: https://gofund.me/eacdafbe
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