After nearly six years, Saltford Parish Council has announced the successful completion of turning an old red phone box into a floral feature and emergency lifesaving station.
Lottie, Rosie Crocker, Phil Harding, Anita Bignell, Mary Stoate, Cllr Jon Godfrey and parish councillor Paul Smith
What began in 2019 as a simple idea to adopt the kiosk on the corner of Norman Road from BT for £1 grew into a testament to the village’s community spirit.
After delays caused by the pandemic, the parish council had by late 2021 tendered to have the phone box repainted and repositioned – only for it to be completely destroyed when it was struck by a vehicle in early 2022.
The parish council remained committed to its vision, however, and sourced a refurbished ‘K6’ phone box to replace the one that had stood at Norman Road for decades.
When the council bought the refurbished box in 2023, the team at local business Mobius Group, led by founder and CEO Lee Bignell, prepared a new base and oversaw its installation entirely for free. Lee also gave his expert advice and support for the remainder of the project.
During the summer of 2023 the team at Flourish Foodhall and Kitchen created planters for the new phone box and filled them with beautiful flowers as a gift to the community.
Ever since, the flowers have been regularly tended by Mary Stoate who lives nearby, and Flourish replaces the flowers twice a year.
An emergency bleed kit was added by the parish council last December as part of a wider project to install five such kits around the village.
Finally, with thanks to the landlord and team at The Crown, the project has culminated this summer with the addition of a battery-powered defibrillator, funded and maintained by the pub.
The defibrillator and bleed kit are accessible to the public at all times and registered on national networks for use by the emergency services too.
Councillor Jon Godfrey, chair of the parish council and lead of the Phone Box Project Working Group, said: “This project shows what’s possible when a community works together.
“It’s now a place of nature, heritage, and potentially lifesaving importance – all thanks to the incredible generosity of Saltford businesses.
“Thanks also to Mary, whose dedicated volunteering keeps the flowers in bloom – as enjoyed by both residents and everyone passing through Saltford.”
