Shopping centre enlists local children to help fill new planters with flowers
In partnership with Muffin Break, The Lanes has created new planters in its Central Square.
To fill these new planters, which were provided free of charge by the coffee shop, The Lanes drafted local children to help plant flowers.
(Image: Supplied) These flowers, which were planted with used ground coffee utilised as fertiliser, include Saxifraga, Violas, and Ceanothus and add a splash of blue, red, and white to the shopping centre in support of Cumbria's celebrations of the 80th anniversary of VE Day in May.
The planters are also set to be accompanied by new hanging baskets and wildflowers in support of The Lanes' entry into Cumbria in Bloom 2025.
Susan Owen is the centre manager at The Lanes and expressed her delight at the new planters.
(Image: Supplied) She said: "We were thrilled to receive a Cumbria in Bloom Gold Award in 2024, along with a Community Champion Award for Outstanding Contribution to Cumbria in Bloom for Tiago Leao, contract manager at The Lanes.
"The Lanes in Bloom, involving the children, was Tiago's idea to help promote community spirit and environmental awareness and the children very much enjoyed helping with the project which will undoubtedly enhance our customer's visits to The Lanes."
(Image: Supplied) Contract manager Tiago was also on hand to explain more about the recent planting project.
He said: "The project is aimed at introducing green spaces to The Lanes and as well as having fun, the children gained new skills and knowledge during the planting process.
(Image: Supplied) "In addition to the planters, our team is also preparing to improve our floral display on Drovers Lane with the addition of wildflowers, which we hope will attract some new tenants in the shape of Bees, Butterflies, and Spiders, creating further space for biodiversity to thrive in the city centre."
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles

Business Insider
8 hours ago
- Business Insider
Leading Indian automaker returns to Africa's richest car market after six years
India's Tata Motors has re-entered South Africa's passenger vehicle market after a six-year hiatus, unveiling three SUV models and a budget hatchback in a bid to compete with Chinese rivals. Tata Motors has re-entered South Africa's passenger vehicle market after a six-year absence. The company introduced four combustion-engine models: Punch, Curvv, Tiago, and Harrier. Tata aims to achieve a 6%-8% market share and become a top-five passenger car brand in South Africa. The relaunch occurs amidst competition from Chinese rivals and dynamics in South Africa's automotive industry. India's Tata Motors has re-entered South Africa's passenger vehicle market after a six-year hiatus, unveiling three SUV models and a budget hatchback in a bid to compete with Chinese rivals. The company introduced the Punch compact SUV, the Curvv coupe-inspired SUV, the Tiago hatchback, and its flagship Harrier premium SUV, all powered by combustion engines and set to go on sale in September. Tata, which quit the market in 2019 after mixed reviews of its Indica hatchback, is betting on rising demand for affordable cars in Africa's most industrialised economy, according to Reuters. Thato Magasa, the newly appointed head of Tata Motors Passenger Vehicles in South Africa, said the company aims to rank among the country's top five passenger car brands in the mid-term, targeting a 6% to 8% market share. The relaunch puts Tata in direct competition with Chinese manufacturers, including Chery, BYD, BAIC, and Great Wall Motors, which have gained ground in recent years with competitively priced offerings. As part of its second phase, Tata plans to introduce the Nexon and Sierra SUVs and expand its dealership network from 40 to 60 by 2026. Distribution will be handled exclusively by Motus Holdings, South Africa's largest automotive group. Industry growth, mounting challenges Interest in South Africa's automotive sector is growing. Alongside Morocco, the country is Africa's top vehicle producer, according to the International Organisation of Motor Vehicle Manufacturers. South Africa built 599,755 vehicles in 2024, a 5% decline from the previous year, ranking 20th globally. The output still falls short of the 784,509-unit target set under the South African Automotive Masterplan 2035. The industry already hosts seven major manufacturers, including Volkswagen, Toyota, and Mercedes-Benz. Business Insider Africa recently reported that Japanese automaker Isuzu Motors is also positioning South Africa as its continental hub for commercial truck production. However, there are also challenges. Low domestic sales of locally assembled cars, coupled with sluggish local content levels, have already forced 12 company closures


New York Post
14-05-2025
- New York Post
King Charles has banned two household items from Buckingham Palace
King Charles and Queen Camilla have strict rules regarding what is and isn't allowed in the royal palace. Cleaner Anne Simmons, who previously worked as a royal cleaner for over a decade, has shed light on how tightly the royals run their households. According to the cleaner, one item in particular has been included on the banned list for years; so-called disposable wet wipes. 'Despite being advertised as 'flushable', they don't break down in the system like toilet paper does,' Simmons told Plumbworld. It turns out they have been causing issues with the aging plumbing for years. King Charles III and Queen Camilla watch a flypast from the balcony of Buckingham Palace after the military procession to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day on May 5, 2025 in London, England. UK Press via Getty Images 'This led to repeated blockages and costly plumbing repairs. It became clear that they simply weren't worth the trouble.' 'Not only did this prevent plumbing issues, but it also saved money in the long term by reducing the need for frequent repairs,' Simmons explained. It turns out disposable wipes aren't the only household item Charles has banned from any of his royal homes. Scented candles are also banished due to the 'toxins' they release into the air. 'Many people don't realise that scented candles release toxins into the air,' Simmons shared previously. 'In a place like Buckingham Palace, where air quality is strictly controlled, they are completely off-limits.' Meanwhile, it comes after it emerged that the UK's royal family had received a staggeringly large raise despite the cost of living crisis impacting many around the world. 'Despite being advertised as 'flushable', they don't break down in the system like toilet paper does,' Simmons told Plumbworld. Adam Radosavljevic – From April, the amount they receive via the Sovereign Grant – funded by the UK's public purse – will jump by a whopping £45 million ($60 million USD), to £132 million ($180 million USD). 'This is public money, all of this money comes from the government, at a time when the government is not able to properly fund schools, hospitals police … It is scandalous,' CEO of Republic Graham Smith told Town & Country. 'Not only should it not be going up at all, it should be going down.' However, when the increase was first announced last year, Buckingham Palace officials made it clear that a huge chunk of that extra cash will be put towards the £369 million ($492 million USD) bill for long-planned, necessary Palace renovations. The exact amount that is being allocated from this year's Grant for the work has not been made public.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
Ukraine war briefing: Putin rejects ceasefire; Starmer says only Russia blocking peace
Vladimir Putin has rejected an ultimatum by European leaders to agree to a ceasefire with Ukraine or face increased sanctions, but has proposed holding direct negotiations with Kyiv this week. Hours after Ukraine and European leaders called for an unconditional 30-day ceasefire to start on Monday, the Russian president proposed holding direct talks in Istanbul on Thursday. 'We don't exclude that during these negotiations we will be able to agree on new ceasefires,' Putin said on Sunday. Hours earlier, European leaders issued the ultimatum to Putin. The leaders of the UK, France, Germany and Poland, together with Volodymyr Zelenskyy, made a joint phone call to Donald Trump prior to making the announcement. It was the first time the leaders of the four European nations had made a joint visit to Ukraine. 'We are clear the bloodshed must end. Russia must stop its illegal invasion,' the leaders said in a joint statement. Zelenskyy told a news conference after their talks that the ceasefire should cover air, sea and land, and that if Moscow refused, it would face new sanctions, including the strengthening of punitive measures targeting its energy and banking sectors. The Kremlin accused European countries on Saturday of making contradictory and confrontational statements, Interfax news agency reported. 'We hear many contradictory statements from Europe. They are generally confrontational in nature rather than aimed at trying to revive our relations. Nothing more,' Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov was quoted as saying. In an earlier interview with ABC News, Peskov said Russia would require a halt to US and European arms supplies to Ukraine during any potential ceasefire. 'Otherwise it will be an advantage for Ukraine. Ukraine will continue their total mobilisation, bringing new troops to front line.' Keir Starmer has said there is 'absolute unity' of countries around the world on Ukraine. Speaking from Kyiv on Saturday, the UK prime minister was asked if he believed Vladimir Putin wanted peace and why he thought the threat of sanctions would work. Starmer replied: 'There's only one country that stands between peace, and that's Russia.' Starmer said that 'all of us here, together with US, are calling Putin out', adding that if the Russian president was 'serious' about peace then 'he has a chance to show it now by extending the VE Day pause into a full, unconditional 30-day ceasefire'. Starmer also said UK experts and European partners were working to 'boost Ukraine's economy' in an attempt to support the invaded country's long-term stability. Speaking at the 'coalition of the willing' meeting in Kyiv on Saturday, he said 'securing Ukraine's future for the longer term' had been discussed, with measures including the resumption of flights to Ukraine. Russia's defence ministry said on Saturday that Ukrainian forces had made four more attempts in the past 24 hours to break across the border into Russia's Kursk and Belgorod regions. Reuters could not independently verify the claim. Ukraine says Russia has continued to attack it and has called Moscow's three-day ceasefire a 'farce'. On Saturday morning, local officials in Ukraine's northern Sumy region said Russian shelling over the past day had killed three residents and injured four more. Another civilian died on the spot on Saturday as a Russian drone struck the southern city of Kherson, according to regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin. An Associated Press tally, based on reports from Ukrainian authorities, found at least 117 civilians had been killed and more than 1,000 injured in Russian aerial attacks since Ukraine announced on 11 March its willingness for a ceasefire.