0:00:04 > 0:00:06# Hello! My name is Mr Bloom
0:00:06 > 0:00:09# And I'd like to come to see you soon
0:00:09 > 0:00:11# I'm out on the road, you see
0:00:11 > 0:00:13# Here and there, so that we
0:00:13 > 0:00:16# Can get together and have some fun
0:00:18 > 0:00:21# I'll help you out if there's work to be done
0:00:23 > 0:00:26# So where is it you like to go?
0:00:26 > 0:00:28# Call me up and let me know
0:00:28 > 0:00:31# What is it you like to do?
0:00:31 > 0:00:33# I'll pop along and do it too
0:00:33 > 0:00:35# Cities, towns, the countryside
0:00:35 > 0:00:37# I can travel far and wide
0:00:37 > 0:00:40# I'm all about and everywhere
0:00:40 > 0:00:42# I'm here and there
0:00:42 > 0:00:44# Here and there
0:00:44 > 0:00:48# I'm here and there. #
0:00:48 > 0:00:51Hello! I'm Mr Bloom and I love going here and there
0:00:51 > 0:00:54to find out where you live and what you like to do.
0:00:54 > 0:00:57And today I'm in the north-west of England. Yeah.
0:00:57 > 0:01:01Around this neck of the woods you've got places like Bolton, Bury,
0:01:01 > 0:01:04Burnley, Blackburn, Blackpool.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06Ha-ha, that's a lot of Bs, isn't it?
0:01:06 > 0:01:09It must mean there's a real buzz around the place.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11Shall we find out why?
0:01:13 > 0:01:17There are gorgeous gardens with insects and flowers.
0:01:21 > 0:01:24And happy horses grazing for hours.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29Fabulous fish of all different colours.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35And places where you can dance with others.
0:01:40 > 0:01:43Oh, 'ey up. Today, I'm in a place called Seven Acres,
0:01:43 > 0:01:47and it's a nature reserve in the centre of Bolton.
0:01:47 > 0:01:50There's loads going on here. Earlier, they were pond dipping
0:01:50 > 0:01:55to check the health of the water, and they grow a lot of vegetables.
0:01:55 > 0:01:56That reminds me,
0:01:56 > 0:01:59I met some tiddlers not far from here who like to grow veg.
0:01:59 > 0:02:03- BELL RINGS - Oh, the route finder heard me.
0:02:03 > 0:02:06Here they are. That's Jack, Hester, and George.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10And, you know, their school has an award-winning garden.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14So I went along to meet them, and their feathered friends.
0:02:14 > 0:02:16'At the tiddlers' school,
0:02:16 > 0:02:20'their grown-ups built a brilliant home for their new ducks.'
0:02:20 > 0:02:22There we go.
0:02:22 > 0:02:24Good job.
0:02:24 > 0:02:29So, Hester, can you tell me, why have you got ducks in your school?
0:02:29 > 0:02:32Because the slugs will eat our vegetables.
0:02:32 > 0:02:35They eat the slugs that eat your vegetables?
0:02:35 > 0:02:40- What type of vegetables do you grow? - We grow lots of different kinds.
0:02:40 > 0:02:44- Would you be able to show me? - Yeah.- Yeah, come and see.
0:02:45 > 0:02:47Hey, tiddlers, this is a nice patch.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51What types of fruit and vegetable have you growing here?
0:02:51 > 0:02:54We've got potatoes and onions.
0:02:54 > 0:02:56- Right, so that's two. - We've got radishes.
0:02:56 > 0:03:01- We've got radishes, and we've got salad.- That's four.
0:03:01 > 0:03:05And strawberries, and rhubarb.
0:03:05 > 0:03:06And that's six.
0:03:06 > 0:03:10- And my beautiful cabbage! - And your beautiful cabbage!
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Ah, that's right,
0:03:12 > 0:03:15we've got seven different types of fruit and vegetable.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18My goodness me, it sounds like you've been busy.
0:03:19 > 0:03:24'The grown-ups have been busy, too, so it's time for a garden feast.'
0:03:26 > 0:03:31Well, tiddlers, I can certainly see why you love where you live,
0:03:31 > 0:03:34cos look at this garden! It's lovely, isn't it? Yeah?
0:03:34 > 0:03:38And these egg sandwiches, those eggs were laid by your chickens,
0:03:38 > 0:03:41and the potato salad, and coleslaw,
0:03:41 > 0:03:43those were all the vegetables you grew.
0:03:47 > 0:03:50Hey, that potato salad was the bee's knees.
0:03:50 > 0:03:52The same for those egg sandwiches.
0:03:52 > 0:03:56Hey, have a look at these rolling hills.
0:03:56 > 0:03:58They're rather nice, aren't they?
0:03:58 > 0:04:02What type of animals do you think you might find in these fields?
0:04:02 > 0:04:07Yeah, you might find cows or sheep, but we found some ponies.
0:04:07 > 0:04:10Mm-hmm. Some very special ponies, at that.
0:04:14 > 0:04:19- There's a lot of horses here, aren't there, Emma?- Yes, Mr Bloom.
0:04:19 > 0:04:23'Emma has brought me to a special home for horses,
0:04:23 > 0:04:26'ponies and donkeys whose owners couldn't look after them.'
0:04:26 > 0:04:30- Hello there, tiddlers! - Hello, Mr Bloom. My name is Jonah.
0:04:30 > 0:04:33Hello, Mr Bloom, my name is Harriet.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36Well, it's nice to see you, Harriet and Jonah.
0:04:36 > 0:04:38What brings you here today, Jonah?
0:04:38 > 0:04:42- We're here to learn how to look after ponies.- Really?
0:04:42 > 0:04:45Is there one pony that you look after in particular?
0:04:45 > 0:04:49- Fifi.- Fifi.- She's there.- I look after Fifi, too.- Is this Fifi?- Yeah.
0:04:49 > 0:04:54- Is there anyone else here that you'd like to introduce me to?- Red.- Red?
0:04:54 > 0:04:58Right, well, shall we go and meet Red? Come on then, let's go.
0:04:58 > 0:05:01'Red is a Shetland pony who lives at the stables.'
0:05:01 > 0:05:04Hey, now, tiddlers, he's very small, isn't he?
0:05:04 > 0:05:06Ooh, but look over there!
0:05:06 > 0:05:08Look at that big horse!
0:05:08 > 0:05:12And I wonder, tiddlers, do you know how you measure horses and ponies?
0:05:12 > 0:05:14Do you know, Harriet?
0:05:14 > 0:05:16Hands.
0:05:16 > 0:05:19That's right, very good! You measure them in hands.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22You measure a horse or pony to its withers,
0:05:22 > 0:05:24a bit like our shoulders.
0:05:24 > 0:05:26Red is eight hands high.
0:05:32 > 0:05:36Ey! It was nice to see Emma, Harriet and Jonah
0:05:36 > 0:05:38and, of course, Fifi and Red.
0:05:38 > 0:05:40Those ponies have got a nice home now.
0:05:40 > 0:05:42Do you see that big fella there?
0:05:42 > 0:05:45Ey! He looks like a carp to me.
0:05:45 > 0:05:48I bet there's loads of fish in that lake.
0:05:48 > 0:05:49Eh, and that reminds me,
0:05:49 > 0:05:53we saw loads of fish the other day when we went to Bolton Aquarium.
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Ha-ha! Shall we take a look?
0:05:55 > 0:05:59That's Ethan, Kirsten and Abby.
0:05:59 > 0:06:01So this is the aquarium, is that right?
0:06:01 > 0:06:03- TIDDLERS: Yeah. - What have we got here?
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Little fish from Burma.
0:06:06 > 0:06:09From Burma?! They are very little, aren't they?
0:06:09 > 0:06:12Wow! What else have we got down here?
0:06:12 > 0:06:13Rainbow fish.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Why do you think they're called rainbow fish?
0:06:16 > 0:06:19Because they've got all different colours on them.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22They've got all the colours of the rainbow.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25Oh, there's lots of shrimps living on the plants.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28They look like they're doing a tap dance.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31- Maybe they're eating. - I reckon you're right, yeah.
0:06:31 > 0:06:34And look, it's lunchtime for these fish too!
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- They're eating grapes. - TIDDLERS: Grapes! Grapes!
0:06:41 > 0:06:44- That's not a grape. - TIDDLERS: Cherries! Cherries!
0:06:44 > 0:06:46He's eating cherries.
0:06:46 > 0:06:50Wow. Those big pieces, they have to take little nibbles.
0:06:50 > 0:06:51Can you see him?
0:06:55 > 0:06:59Hmm-hmm! Me and the tiddlers, we had a cracking time
0:06:59 > 0:07:01at the aquarium and the museum.
0:07:01 > 0:07:04There was loads to do and they even had a library.
0:07:04 > 0:07:05ROUTE FINDER PINGS
0:07:05 > 0:07:09Oh, that's right, there's a beautiful old library nearby.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12It's at a place called Smithills Hall
0:07:12 > 0:07:15and I met some tiddlers who showed me round.
0:07:19 > 0:07:23- Hello, Ben. Hello, Flynn. - BOTH: Hello, Mr Bloom.- Ha-ha!
0:07:23 > 0:07:25It's nice to meet you here today.
0:07:25 > 0:07:27Would you like a tour of the house?
0:07:27 > 0:07:31You bet your wellied boots I would! Come on, you lead the way.
0:07:34 > 0:07:36At Smithills, you can travel back in time
0:07:36 > 0:07:41to find out what things were like in Victorian and Tudor times,
0:07:41 > 0:07:44hundreds of years ago, including doing a spot of dancing.
0:07:44 > 0:07:46And clap three.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Step back three.
0:07:50 > 0:07:51And clap three.
0:07:52 > 0:07:54Girls forward three.
0:07:56 > 0:07:57And hop three.
0:07:59 > 0:08:00Step back three.
0:08:01 > 0:08:02And hop three.
0:08:04 > 0:08:06Bow and curtsy to each other.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Well, I'm still here at Seven Acres in Bolton and I tell you,
0:08:15 > 0:08:18it's a lot of work to look after a place like this.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22Luckily, they've got some volunteers to help out.
0:08:22 > 0:08:25Ey up, there. You must be the volunteers.
0:08:25 > 0:08:26- ALL: Hello, Mr Bloom.- Hello!
0:08:26 > 0:08:30- Who have we got here?- I'm Sasha and this is my brother Lewis.
0:08:30 > 0:08:31Ah!
0:08:31 > 0:08:35I'm Jack and I'm with my dad and Jim to do some big weeding.
0:08:35 > 0:08:37Some big weeding? Ooh, er!
0:08:37 > 0:08:40It looks like you've got your work cut out here.
0:08:40 > 0:08:43But these big plants, they don't look that bad to me.
0:08:43 > 0:08:47It's Himalayan balsam. It's come from a long way away.
0:08:47 > 0:08:48And if we don't pull it out,
0:08:48 > 0:08:52it'll destroy all the plants that usually live here.
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Sasha's right - although this is a nice plant,
0:08:54 > 0:08:58it should be going on Mount Everest rather than Bolton.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01The Himalayas, they're a long way away from Bolton.
0:09:01 > 0:09:04They are, and our wildlife prefers our native plants.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07They can't really survive on these.
0:09:07 > 0:09:09What things would you expect round here?
0:09:09 > 0:09:11Bees and butterflies,
0:09:11 > 0:09:13so we get a lot of caterpillars on our nettles.
0:09:13 > 0:09:18If these plants aren't taken out, they'll compete over our nettles.
0:09:18 > 0:09:21- You prefer to have nettles than balsam?- Definitely.
0:09:21 > 0:09:25That's funny, cos most people, they don't like nettles.
0:09:25 > 0:09:28- You can get stung. But they can be quite useful.- Definitely.
0:09:28 > 0:09:34Yes, lots of insects live on nettles, such as peacock caterpillars.
0:09:34 > 0:09:37We need to get rid of balsam. It's called balsam bashing.
0:09:37 > 0:09:39We've got a mountain of balsam here.
0:09:39 > 0:09:43Don't worry, cos I know some tiddlers who could lend a hand.
0:09:43 > 0:09:46- What do you reckon? - ALL: Yeah!- And here they are.
0:09:46 > 0:09:49- Are you ready to get stuck in? - TIDDLERS: Yeah!
0:09:49 > 0:09:51We could make a game of it, Mr Bloom.
0:09:51 > 0:09:55Ey, that's a good idea, James. We could split into three teams
0:09:55 > 0:09:59- and the winner is the one who bashes the most balsam.- Yeah.
0:09:59 > 0:10:02So this is the Himalayan balsam plant we're bashing.
0:10:02 > 0:10:06You need to make sure we're only pulling this one out, OK?
0:10:06 > 0:10:07When we're pulling it,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11we bend down and we just simply pull it out like this.
0:10:11 > 0:10:13And then we snap this bottom bit
0:10:13 > 0:10:16below this last line, this last node, OK?
0:10:16 > 0:10:18Then we're going to put it on our pile.
0:10:18 > 0:10:22It's this pinky stem, and if you pop it with your fingers,
0:10:22 > 0:10:24you'll hear it crunching, OK?
0:10:24 > 0:10:26- CRUNCHING - Shall we bash some balsam?
0:10:26 > 0:10:29- TIDDLERS: Yeah! - Your hands, let me see.
0:10:29 > 0:10:31- TIDDLERS: Yeah!- Gloves on hands?
0:10:31 > 0:10:34- TIDDLERS: Yeah! - And you've got your sun hats on?
0:10:34 > 0:10:36- TIDDLERS: Yeah!- Plenty of sun screen?
0:10:36 > 0:10:38TIDDLERS: Yeah!
0:10:38 > 0:10:41Then ready, steady, bash!
0:10:45 > 0:10:47Right, in you go, Flynn.
0:10:47 > 0:10:49Special delivery by Flynn.
0:10:49 > 0:10:53Well done, twist it, like you're ringing out a flannel.
0:10:53 > 0:10:55Look at the size of that!
0:10:55 > 0:10:56What a whopper!
0:10:56 > 0:11:00'The tiddlers make sure they only bash the balsam,
0:11:00 > 0:11:02'leaving the nettles plenty of room to grow.'
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Get ready for the gi...
0:11:05 > 0:11:07Gigantic one!
0:11:07 > 0:11:10- What have you got there, Ben? Is it a whopper?- Yeah!
0:11:10 > 0:11:12He's got a whopper!
0:11:12 > 0:11:13It's a whopper!
0:11:20 > 0:11:23Argh! Good work!
0:11:23 > 0:11:26It ain't that big but it'll have to do.
0:11:26 > 0:11:30Oh, tiddlers, look at this. There's three giant mountains of balsam.
0:11:30 > 0:11:33Which is biggest? Which one's the winner, James?
0:11:33 > 0:11:36Mr Bloom, I think Seven Acres is the winner.
0:11:36 > 0:11:38Now we've cleared all this balsam,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42all our native plants can grow - fantastic for our insects.
0:11:42 > 0:11:43Well done, tiddlers.
0:11:43 > 0:11:47To get involved in something like this at home,
0:11:47 > 0:11:50ask a grown-up to find out what's going on near you.
0:11:50 > 0:11:54A big thank you to you, Jack, Sasha and Lewis for inviting me.
0:11:54 > 0:11:55I've had a cracking time.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Have you tiddlers had fun balsam bashing?
0:11:58 > 0:12:00TIDDLERS: Yes!
0:12:00 > 0:12:03Join me again soon, when I'll be...
0:12:03 > 0:12:04ALL: Here and there!
0:12:04 > 0:12:06Absolutely. Bye-bye!
0:12:06 > 0:12:07ALL: Bye!
0:12:07 > 0:12:09# Where is it you like to go?
0:12:09 > 0:12:12# Call me up and let me know
0:12:12 > 0:12:14# What is it you like to do
0:12:14 > 0:12:17# I'll pop along and do it too
0:12:17 > 0:12:19# Cities, towns, the countryside
0:12:19 > 0:12:21# I can travel far and wide
0:12:21 > 0:12:24# I'm all about and everywhere
0:12:24 > 0:12:26# I'm here and there. #