Bourne's Floralsilk offers £50k worth of silk flowers to Spalding Flower Parade cause

Tens of thousands of artificial blooms have been donated to the hotly anticipated Spalding Flower Parade.

Organiser Stephen Timewell was delighted when Bourne based company Floralsilk got in touch to offer some help.

While he has secured donations of thousands of tulips, Steve says it’s an ‘incredible help’ to have what he estimates is around £50,000 worth of silk flowers donated.

The company, which was originally based in Spalding, was determined to help.

Julia Crane, of Floralsilk, said the minute she heard the parade would be returning, she wanted to get involved.

She said: “Once I read it was coming back, I wanted to get involved.

“ I remember as a child the excitement of how the town came alive for the weekend, and walking round all the stalls that lined Winfrey Ave and the Cattle Market.

“All the people that lined the streets so happy and the buzz in the air.

“As I work in silk flowers I noticed we had a lot of flower leaves being thrown away so explained to my boss - Liam O’Flaherty - what I wanted them for and he let me take them.”

The company, which had previously been run by Liam’s father John, has gone on to donate several pallets of blooms.

Julia said: “Our warehouse manager Glenn Collishaw sorted out all our old stock over December.

“As a result, it was agreed that Stephen could have the donation of about five or six pallets to do as he will.

“Most of the flowers donated have been mostly roses, plus an assortment of others.

“There’s also some butterflies and birds to decorate.”

Steve says the flowers will be kept in storage after the event, on May 13, to reuse each year. Others will be donated to good causes.