The Bloomers is a voluntary action group set up in April 2003. Our aim is to make the area in and around Craghead in County Durham, UK more attractive by encouraging local residents, businesses and public services to improve, care for and take pride in our local environment.

One way of achieving this is by entering Craghead into the regional Northumbria in Bloom competition which is held annually.

The group decided after doing some research into Britain in Bloom that entering Craghead for the regional Northumbria in Bloom competition is an excellent way to make a difference to the area.

Evidence from other "bloom" groups throughout the UK shows that run-down areas can be turned around within 5 years. We may not win any Britain in Bloom competitions immediately - there's a long way to go! - but it gives everyone something to aim for and encourages pride in our local area.

Craghead is an ex-mining village in a beautiful part of the northern area of County Durham, UK. It has been sadly neglected over the last few decades due to the closure of mining and other heavy industry, but is now starting to put out "new green shoots".

Craghead (together with two other local wards, South Moor and South Stanley) has become part of a government Neighbourhood Regeneration Pathfinder initiative called the "Stanley Green Corridor".