Green fingered groups around Calderdale awarded for gardening work
A host of gardening groups around Calderdale have received awards for their work.
This year’s Yorkshire in Bloom (YiB) awards took place in Tadcaster on September 24, with several groups from across the borough being recognised for improving their local environment.
YiB is the regional body representing the RHS Britain in Bloom campaign, and five of the best award winners are invited to represent Yorkshire in the RHS national finals in the Britain in Bloom competition the following year.
YiB encourages groups to make a “positive and lasting improvement” to their local environment for the benefit of local people, making them “safer, cleaner, and greener.”
A total of seven community groups within Calderdale were recognised at the awards.
Within the Large Town category, Todmorden in Bloom won Gold. Judges’ notes praised the “extensive” floral displays in barrier planters, planters and hanging baskets.
Judges said there was a “strong sense of place and heritage” and there was “visible community support and appreciation.”
The judges said: “The In Bloom group clearly work well together with specific areas of the town “owned”, cared for and maintained by individual volunteers.
“Everyone is involved in forward planning and decision making which adds to the group’s strength and volunteer involvement.
“Their ethos of “the best it can be for everyone” is clearly their driving force.”
A spokesperson for Todmorden in Bloom said: “We are all thrilled to have been awarded gold in the Town category for the 5th year running, and a gold for the station.
"We couldn’t have achieved this without the loyal support of volunteers, sponsors, businesses and friends.
"We are really proud to represent the very special community that is Todmorden.”
Within the It’s Your Neighbourhood category, which is open to all volunteer groups and aimed at smaller community groups greening their local area, volunteers in Mount Tabor — near Halifax — received a Level 3 (advancing) award.
The newly formed In Bloom group is a branch of the Mount Tabor Community Association, and was praised by judges as “one[s] to watch.”
Judges said the memorial garden at the church and community bench provide a “warm welcome to the area” and are a “credit to the community effort that has gone into them.”
Judges added the group should be “immensely proud” of what it has achieved in the run-up to this year’s judging.
Also in the It’s Your Community category, Mytholmroyd Community Station received a Level 4 (thriving) award.
Judges praised the “strong volunteer commitment”, with some travelling in by train from other areas to help.
Judges also commented on the heavy involvement of volunteers in restoring the community building at the entrance to the station — The Local Motive — which is now a community hub.
The judges noted the Yorkshire platform’s shrub bed with a compost heap and memorial garden, and the Lancashire platform’s Friendship Garden with its raised beds and planters containing herbs, fruit and wildlife habitats.
In Cornholme, Vale Community Garden also received a Level 4 (thriving) award within the It’s Your Neighbourhood category.
Judges praised how the group had achieved a “great deal” within the space of a year, increasing its vegetable plots from four to six, including a dedicated her bed.
The group has also planted some soft fruit bushes, and maintain and harvest fruits from fruit trees, using it to create jam and apple pies.
The group works with the local school, local forage society, Culturedale and the neighbouring church to make the garden a community/edible one and provide food grown by the community for the community.
Todmorden Railway Station received a Gold award for providing a “vibrant, warm welcome to all users,” with judges noting the station’s artwork, history, renovation work and floral containers.
Judges noted that more people are now using the station since train traffic has increased three fold, and that the information, communication and displays on site is “encouraging more visits to Todmorden and more footfall in the town which is thriving.”
In Sowerby Bridge, the Friends of Crow Wood Park received a Level 5 (outstanding) award within the It’s Your Neighbourhood category.
Judges said the community engagement within the park is of an “excellent” standard, and that recent community events have created a “fantastic sense of community in the park which is enjoyed by all.”
Judges said the group is actively engaged with the council to continue developing the community asset for Sowerby Bridge.
On the park’s appearance, judges said: “The appearance of the park was excellent with very little signs of litter or graffiti.
“The facilities are maintained to a high standard and the link between the council and the friends group has a strong positive impact on the fabric of the park.”
Also in Sowerby Bridge, the Friends of Sowerby Bridge Railway Station group received a Gold award, with judges “very impressed” by the group’s efforts.
The judges said: “The platforms and surrounding areas were very well kept with a mix of wooden half barrels and newer composite barrels combined with baskets and planters mounted on the station fences containing attractive displays positioned along the platforms providing a welcoming site for passengers using the station.
“Enhancing the planters the Friends group have produced information boards about notable citizens and moments from history from the local area which they continue to install as more research is completed In the surrounding areas there are several themed attractive gardens with a range of shrubs and perennial planting, including a pollinator border.
“The charming Bronte garden also houses a memorial to railway workers who were killed in action during the great war.
“Bird boxes, insect stations and a bird bath could be seen around the area.”
Charles Adams, Secretary of Friends of Sowerby Bridge Railway Station, said: “The group is overwhelmed to receive a Gold award again from the prestigious Yorkshire in Bloom.
"This the third year in a row that the group has won a Gold award and shows the dedication of the small but extremely keen gardeners who keep everything looking as well as they can and others who add to the aesthetics with this a new bench and pseudo telephone box.
"This year has been extremely challenging with the weather and keeping the plants hydrated has been difficult as there is no running water at the station and the group relies on rainwater harvested into water butts, these were nearly completely exhausted by the time rains returned. “Thanks must go to members who brought bottled water to be used from their personal water butts and a massive thank you to Northern for supporting us in our endeavors at the station.”