Two new volunteers have joined the Cumbria in Bloom management team in time for the 2023 awards event.
Each year gardeners across the county, including school children, towns and villages, tourist attractions, businesses and communities, enter their open spaces in one or other of the Cumbria in Bloom categories – with the chance to represent Cumbria in the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Britain in Bloom awards in future years. In 2023 Kendal and Whitehaven are National Finalists in the Large Town and Coastal categories respectively.
Emanuel Flecken and Kevin Dowding are volunteering to assess Cumbria in Bloom entries in this year’s event, which will help communities make the most of their outdoor space.
Emanuel is the Open Space Manager for Copeland Borough Council, an International Green Flag judge and a former In Bloom judge for the Southeast. Emanuel has a Masters in Horticulture from the RHS, studied horticulture and arboriculture at A.O.C. Midden, Houten, Utrecht and is a Certified Professional Horticulturist (CPH) with the Chartered Institute of Horticulture.
Emanuel said: “I am a keen advocate of community gardening and being part of the Cumbria in Bloom team is a way of helping others enjoy creating green spaces for the benefit of all.”
Kevin Dowding is the Manager of Hope Leisure Ltd in Hope Park, Keswick who has worked at The Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Alnwick Gardens and trained at the Royal Botanic Garden in Edinburgh and gained his degree in Biological and Biomedical Science at the University of Edinburgh.
Kevin said: “I am really looking forward to Cumbria in Bloom 2023 and being part of the team. It brings people together and enhances our environment.”
Chair of Cumbria in Bloom, Ronnie Auld said: “Our team of assessors, we think that this is a better ‘name’ than judges and reflects the non-judgmental aspect of our work, are not here to judge but to provide support, advice and feedback while viewing the entries.
“We want to encourage groups of volunteers working in communities to improve their local area to take part, at no financial cost to themselves, in the RHS It’s Your Neighbourhood scheme (see https://tinyurl.com/53yhujbc).”
Cumbria in Bloom Administrator, Liz Auld said: “It’s easy to forget some of the often-unsung heroes of Cumbria in Bloom – those who go around the entries as assessors. Without these dedicated volunteers, Cumbria in Bloom wouldn’t exist.
“We welcome new people to join the team. Volunteer assessors do not need to be horticulturalists as they will always be paired with an expert. Most importantly they need to have an interest in community gardening and experience working with or supporting volunteer-led community projects.
“Also desirable is an understanding of environmental issues, particularly the importance of biodiversity and the potential effects of climate change.
“It is not a rigorous role. However, you do require a level of commitment. Training is provided, and you will need to be available for single or more days during one to three weeks during the assessing period in late June/July each year. Full training is given to all who volunteer to be assessors.”
Cumbria in Bloom is part of RHS Britain in Bloom. Our entries this year are Whitehaven (Coastal category) and Kendal (Larage Town category).
