MORE than 300 native British bluebells will be planted in Stotfold in memory of former town councillor Malcolm Smith.
Malcolm’s widow Jill and their three sons, Jamie, Mark and Dan started the planting on the edge of Johnstan Copse in Stotfold Watermill Nature Reserve earlier this month.
The bulbs were donated by Stotfold Town Council in honour of the contribution which Malcolm made to the town.
Following a career in the Royal Air Force, which included postings in places as varied as Madagascar and Germany, the Smith family settled in Stotfold in 1983 and Malcolm took up a post with British Aerospace.
He also served a district councillor for a number of years as well as the town council and despite severe illness and pain he continued to attend council meetings in the last years of his life.
Town mayor Cllr Brian Collier added: "The council felt this would be a splendid tribute to a man who gave many years of dedicated public service both as a town councillor and a member of Mid Beds District Council."
TEASEL, the Astwick and Stotfold Environmental Link, the local conservation group who manage the Nature Reserve, will plant the remainder of the bulbs and monitor their progress to flowering later in the year.
Jill said: "The family are delighted by this donation of what will be a blue carpet of colour and scent for all visitors to enjoy and a living memorial to Malcolm."
