From left to right: (Back) Group volunteers, Miss Mary Rust, Councillors Margaret Kennedy and Loretta Mordi, Susan Blake and Ronnie Ferrans. (Front) Tesco store employees Lyndsey Russell and Mari Robertson.

MASSIVE SUPPORT FOR LOCAL GROUP

THE fundraising campaign to regenerate the Douglas Bader garden in Cupar has been branded a major success by the local community group which is aiming to transform the Duffus Park site.

Volunteers from the Friends of the Douglas Bader Memorial Garden group claim they have been "overwhelmed" by the support of the public just days into their campaign.

After only two weeks, 600 people have already purchased the special Douglas Bader tulip bulbs that the Friends group has been selling to raise funds.

People from as far as Canada and Africa have shown their support for the redevelopment of the vandal-struck garden by donating £3 for five pink Bader Tulip bulbs.

Last Saturday at the Tesco Store in Cupar, the group sold almost four hundred packs in one day as local people queued up to get their hands on the bulbs.

Group Chair Andrew Gold, from Cupar, said: "The response from the people of North-East Fife and beyond was extraordinary and their enthusiasm for the project was at times overwhelming.

"The bulbs were going at a rate of almost one per minute, and our volunteers struggled to cope with the scale of the demand at times.

"What it showed was the sheer enthusiasm of the community for a vibrant new facility in Cupar, which could attract people from all over the world.

"We had war veterans approaching us in tears of gratitude, and youngsters giving us their pocket money because they simply wanted to contribute.

"Every single person who approached the group was 100 per cent in favour of what we were trying to do."

Local people still have the opportunity to get their hands on the tulip bulbs thanks to the support of Cupar florists Lynda's Floral Studio, in the town's Crossgate. Packs of the tulip bulbs will be available in the shop for the next few weeks or can be ordered by phoning 01334 650881 or contacting the group via their website www.dbcg.org.uk .

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