Cumbria has a trio of communities representing the county in the annual Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom awards, the society has announced today (Friday 11 February 2022).
Irthington, Workington and Ulverston have all been selected to go forward to the national final, having shown exception high standards in the Cumbria in Bloom awards last year.
Chair of Cumbria in Bloom, Ronnie Auld said: “We were amazed at the standard of entries in 2021, despite all the issues everyone was facing.
“Our judges had a very difficult job of selecting the three nominations, and we are very proud of these Cumbria in Bloom winners who now go forward to represent Cumbria in the RHS Britain in Bloom awards.”
Entry into Britain in Bloom can only be gained through a nomination from the regional campaign. The three Cumbrian entrants are competing in the Village Large Town and Business Improvement District (BID) and Town centre categories.
Enterprising Newton Rigg horticultural student, Danny Poland, 18, entered his village of Irthington in the Cumbria in Bloom Pride in Your Community competition with the theme ‘Helping our pollinators’.
A first-time entrant, the village was awarded a Silver-Gilt Medal and the Doreen Parson’s Young Person’s trophy was given to Danny by Cumbria in Bloom.
Ronnie said: “The community had developed a huge warmth and closeness due to its shared sense of accomplishment.
“With the need for positivity and hope in their lives, a small committee has been formed, led by Danny (now in full-time employment and a student), to take the village forward in 2022 with the theme ‘Nature’s Friends’.
“We look forward to seeing their Cumbrian in Bloom 2022 entry and wish them good luck representing Cumbria in the Britain in Bloom Finals 2022.”
Workington won a Gold Medal in the 2021 Cumbria in Bloom Pride in Your Community Large Town category.
The town is working on several new initiatives for 2022; including adding plug planting and wildflower areas to Vulcan Park with funding from Cumbria Wildlife Trust and a ‘Bee Happy’ Wildlife Garden which will be managed by one of the local schools, with funding from Cumbria County Council.
Ronnie said: “The judges were especially impressed with the input by volunteers at the Railway Station and the work and coordination of the different groups through the Workington Nature Partnership.
“Due to previous enthusiasm and excellent work, as well as proposed projects for 2022, Cumbria in Bloom nominates Workington in Bloom in the Large Town category.”
For the past six years, Ulverston BID has been supporting Ulverston in Bloom, Cumbria, by helping a dedicated community group to carry out a large range of bloom initiatives within the town.
In the past four years, the BID has been even more engaged by joining the business sector with the community and enhancing the bloom in the town, making Ulverston a destination for visitors and delivering a sustainable program of seasonal planting for all to enjoy.
Through the Covid pandemic, the BID and community groups continued where they could, to provide bloom in Ulverston in order to raise public and business moral and community spirits as we moved in and out of lockdowns and in 2021 Ulverston BID achieved a Silver-Gilt Medal in the Cumbria in Bloom Pride in Your Community Awards.
Ronnie said: “Relationships have grown strong over the years within the community, business, and local governance groups. Ulverston BID, in conjunction with other bodies, is looking forward in 2022 to taking ‘bloom’ even further in this Jubilee year.”
RHS Britain in Bloom is the largest horticultural campaign in the United Kingdom. Launched in 1963 as an initiative by the British Tourist Board, it has been organised by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) since 2002. The awards are based on the RHS’s medal standards of Gold, Silver Gilt, Silver and Bronze; the winner is the entry judged to have most successfully met the rigorous judging criteria.
Floral displays play an important part in the contest, however, in recent years the competition has increasingly assessed how all sectors of the local community are managing their local environment.
In 2006, the RHS introduced the Neighbourhood Awards (now the It’s Your Neighbourhood campaign), a grassroots sister campaign to Bloom, supporting smaller, volunteer-led community groups focused on improving their immediate environment.
Details of how to enter Cumbria in Bloom 2022 are available on the charities website cumbria-in-bloom.org.uk.
- Cumbria in Bloom was formed in 1983
- Cumbria in Bloom was granted charitable status on 5 February 2007 (Registered No 1117828)
- The main purpose of Cumbria in Blooms is to engage with groups in Cumbria, encouraging participation in a range of competitions that promote improvement of horticulture, floriculture and environmental issues in our region.
- This year Cumbria in Bloom is focusing particularly on sustainability, water management and biodiversity.
- Cumbria in Bloom, one of 18 RHS regions, follows the RHS Britain in Bloom’s campaign guidelines
For more information please contact Karen Morley-Chesworth, Chesworth Communications on 0793 968 3506 or email chesworth.communications@gmail.com
