Colourful Cockermouth celebrates past poet - and community spirit

The community has come together to create countless stunning daffodil displays, in homage to our past poet, and - more simply - to bring a spring smile to everyone's face as they wander through the colourful town centre.

Cockermouth Rotary Club is delighted with the response it has had so far to its annual Host of Golden Daffodils event which launched on Saturday.

Their appeal for creations inspired many folk to do their bit, from care home residents and school children to a professional artist and lots of businesses.

Cockermouth's colourful Main Street (Image: Supplied)

Club president Julia Mather said: "Sally Scales and her team have done an amazing job. It was wonderful putting up the display on Saturday, so many people stopped to talk.

"We were able to say this is an homage to Wordsworth and his Host of Daffodils poem and our way of making the town beautiful.

Rotary president Julia Mather and John Rael (Image: Supplied)

"People were absolutely delighted and thought it was a wonderful idea. We feel very proud of the town."

She was delighted with community response. "It's great to have the local community involved, from young to old, schools to care homes and craft groups, doing something that enhances their town.

"It's great for community spirit."

Alan Dawson and his steel daffodil creation, which the Rotary club hope will be given a permanent base in town (Image: Supplied)

Branthwaite blacksmith and artist Alan Dawson made a raw steel daffodil sculpture, which is on Main Street.

"It's outstanding, he wanted to do something to support Rotary," said Julia, who is hoping the town council will give permission for it to be sited somewhere permanently in the future.

"Simon Nicholson has been a great support, putting up the bunting and lights, creating a lovely atmosphere at night," she said.

Resident David Marrs made 60 wooden daffodils with wood donated by the Lakes Centre. Every year Jennifer Coulthard knits hundreds of daffodils.

A decorated shop window in Cockermouth (Image: Supplied)Sally wanted to thank the many people involved, including the Brownies who made the huge windmills from recycled materials and "all the schools and businesses who get behind what we do".

"It has been amazing again this year and a privilege to receive all the positive feed back from everyone in town but most of all to hear how happy it has made people feel," she said.