Residents in Catcliffe showed the rain did not wash away their community spirit with the planting of a permanent “Welcome to Catcliffe” sign one year on from the floods.

A trainee construction team from Morthyng Ltd have built a special feature – a raised flower bed – which will house the “Welcome to Catcliffe” sign. The feature has the appearance of a stone trough, planted with perennial shrubs and flowers, planted by 2010 Rotherham Ltd’s Borough Environmental Training Scheme (BETS) apprentices.

The idea for the sign came from local residents who, when asked what permanent feature they would like to see in the village to commemorate the impact of the floods, chose a flower arrangement at the Catcliffe Kiln and a welcome sign at the other end of the village as people didn’t know they were coming into the village.

Funds for both displays came from Rotary International Britain and Ireland which responded to the floods by setting up a relief fund with donations from clubs around the district.

Mike Sumption, President of the Rotherham Rotary Club, said: “I am delighted that the Rotary flood appeal has been able to further benefit the residents of Catcliffe following the earlier support of the Kiln project and the trips to Blackpool, Chatsworth and Alton towers. The sign is a long overdue recognition of Catcliffe as an essential part of Rotherham and Rotary has enjoyed working with the community, including Treeton, to help them erase some of the horrid memories of 12 months ago and help to restore pride in their area.”

2010 Rotherham Ltd and Henry Boot, contracted by the Rotherham Borough Council, spent the Summer and Autumn of 2007 refurbishing flood affected Council properties. 47 Council properties were worst hit and tenants had to be evacuated, with many other residents similarly affected.

Florence Wilkins, of The Croft, Catcliffe, was the first tenant to move back into her home after refurbishment was completed on her property in December 2007.

Florence said: “The display is absolutely beautiful. I pass the sign on the way to the Post Office and each time I think how lovely it looks. It’s a nice welcome to the village because you notice it straight away. And with the flowers hanging down from the trough, it looks really cosy.”

The “Welcome to Catcliffe” sign has been placed on the corner of Poplar Way and Orgreave Road, and can be seen as drivers approach Catcliffe and Rotherham from the Sheffield Parkway.

Teresa Butler, 2010 Rotherham Ltd’s Director of Business Development, said: “Catcliffe has featured heavily in national and international news over the last year, but it is the residents who have had their lives so devastated by last June’s events. The new “Welcome to Catcliffe” sign will ensure that Catcliffe remains on the map indefinitely; this time for positive reasons.”

In January, 2010 Rotherham Ltd’s BETS trainees also planted bulbs on the banking below the historic Kiln in Catcliffe. They cleaned up the site, cleared over-grown paths, removed saplings from the walls of the Kiln and weeded and tidied rose-beds.

Both areas will be maintained by 2010 Rotherham Ltd BETS trainees.

A special unveiling was attended by the President of Rotherham Rotary Club, Mike Sumption; President of the Rotherham Sitwell Rotary Club, Shaun Doherty; 2010 Rotherham Ltd’s Director of Business Development Tess Butler; Rother Fed member Andrew Roddison; Council tenants, including Florence Wilkins; Catcliffe Methodist Church’s Rev. Sean Adair; Morthyng Ltd Construction trainees; 2010 Rotherham Ltd BETS trainees; and Chairman of Catcliffe Parish Council Brian Jolly.

 The BETS scheme helps young people who are not in full-time education, employment or training to get the skills and experience they need to increase their opportunities. 2010 Rotherham Ltd, in partnership with Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and Morthyng Ltd, offers young people, aged between 16 and 18, the opportunity to work in horticulture and other community based work

The 2010 Rotherham Ltd trainees saw the destruction caused in Catcliffe for themselves last year when they helped clean affected properties, fill skips and provide support. The trainees also helped out at the Dinnington Reception Centre at the time of the floods, organising sleeping arrangements, serving refreshments and collecting prescriptions for those driven out of their homes.