Cumbria performed well in his year’s prestigious Britain in Bloom horticultural awards.
Hosted in the RHS Horticultural Halls in London on Monday afternoon (October 10), the 2022 Britain in Bloom Awards showcased our county’s green-fingered residents and how they have transformed the places where they live.
The event hosted by Clare Matterson CBE, director general of the RHS, and MC Alexander-Sinclair, with the awards themselves being presented by Rachel de Thame who was also the guest speaker.
Irthington, a village near Brampton, made it through to the finals of the Britain in Bloom awards for the small village category, with Workington in West Cumbria making it through to the finals for the large town category.
In a fantastic recognition for Cumbria’s horticultural heroes, Irthingotn was awarded a Silver Gilt award, with Danny Poland, chair and founder of Irthington in Bloom, winning the Britain in Bloom Young Champion award for this year, with Workington being awarded Silver.
Danny has been instrumental in changing Irthington for the better in many ways, and Irthington in Bloom’s theme for this year’s award is ‘Nature’s Friend’.
It all started during lockdown when Danny took over an abandoned school garden, growing fruit and vegetables for local people and sunflowers to help brighten moods and bring the community together.
Explaining what ‘Nature’s Friend’ meant, a spokesperson from Irthington in Bloom said: "The undeniable fact is that our wildlife is in desperate need of our help and for our own wellbeing, we need our wildlife.
"The RHS, RSPB, Cumbria Wildlife Trust, and people who appreciate nature all share the same hopes and aspirations.Irthington in Bloom
"It is of the utmost urgency that we succeed, but no one can do it alone.
"It’s going to take each one of us to reach out a hand and hold another, in a magnificent chain of assistance, we could achieve bird song and buzzing, increase the numbers of nests, fledglings and insects, bats, butterflies and moths, so delicately linked, and triumph over decline.”
Elsewhere, Ulverston in South Cumbria won the Gold award for BID’s, Town and City Centre category, and Ulverston was also nominated for the horticultural excellence award and received a certificate of achievement.
All the Cumbrian champions will be recognised on home soil at a local awards ceremony in the civic centre next week (October 19).
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