THE Stretford project that won a North West community campaign, Better Together, is in blooming good shape - a year after it triumphed.

Following the inaugural competition last year, the Gorgeous Gorse Hill project is putting the £25,000 prize fund to good use, to help improve the area by rejuvenating rundown outdoor spaces.

Residents have introduced brightly coloured flower beds, along with fruit and vegetable patches in various derelict green spaces.

Other improvements include re-designing shop front shutters and decorating telephone boxes.

Introduced by home insurance specialist, Together Mutual, Better Together aims to support projects and initiatives that can make a real difference to the local area and the lives of its residents.

Last year’s competition received more than 8,000 votes - with 37 per cent of voters choosing to support the ‘Gorgeous Gorse Hill’ project.

Ruth Hannan, who runs the Gorgeous Gorse Hill project alongside the community, and works on it 20 hours a week, said: “Gorgeous Gorse Hill is proving to be a great project to galvanise our community and inspire its residents.

"I have met so many of my neighbours and there is a real sense of excitement. The investment that Together Mutual Insurance provided has enabled us to get the entire community project up and running.

“The project is also helping us to reach out to the wider community and, through word of mouth, we are now fortunate also to have the support of Stretford, if not all of Trafford, behind us.

"To date, we have cleared an area for planting and work is underway for the re-decorating of the existing shop front shutters which have been designed by local school children.

"We’ve received some really great feedback from the community; everyone has been commenting on how the new developments will bring the area to life with plenty of colour.

"In my eyes, it’s this sort of project that is about making the mundane marvellous."