Woman creates John Deere tractor out of old drinks cans to boost Fenland town's In Bloom chances
A special needs teacher is behind a new display set to enhance a town’s entry into a national garden competition.
Heather Johnson has created a model John Deere tractor out of nothing but used drinks cans, a glue gun and some gaffer tape.
The mum of one grown up daughter came up with the idea to help boost Chatteris’ entry into this year’s Britain in Bloom competition, which the town’s In Bloom team is determined will be a community effort.
Chatteris in Bloom put out a call to residents, schools and organisations to get involved with helping to enhance the town’s chances of winning by creating sculptures using old plant pots.
Heather, who works as a teacher with children with special needs and those not in school, offered to create plant pot sculptures and came up with a cow and a pig to go with a display celebrating the town’s long association with agriculture which is being created on the Wenny Road ‘roundabout’.
However, she said: “I thought how lovely it would be to have a tractor to go with the farm animals. I knew I wouldn’t be able to make one out of plant pots but knew I could use drinks cans instead.
“I don’t drink pop myself so I put an appeal out on a pay it forward Facebook page and had loads of offers.
“It took around 300 cans to build it, and lots of hot glue. But when it came to finding the right paint I struggled, then my husband suggested getting in touch with John Deere at Coates to see if they had any spare paint I could use.
“They were more than happy to help and actually got one of their service tech apprentices, Ethan Langley, to paint it for me. He was really excited to help out and did a great job."
Heather, who is also a campaigner for saving hedgehogs and regularly gives talks on the subject with her rescued African pygmy hedgehog Dumbledore, added: “The tractor, pig and cow will go on display on the ‘roundabout’ shortly alongside the two wicker farm workers that are already there and I hope people will love seeing it.”
Chatteris has been chosen to represent the Anglia region in this year's Britain in Bloom competition after alst year's event was cancelled. Organisers in the town want to demonstrate Chatteris' strong community spirit and have a number of projects to help with that, including a plant pot sculpture competition.
