Pictured receiving the awards are (l to r) Richard Dean, FAA Chairman; Bob Poole, Helping Hands; Maureen Langdon, Helping Hands; Pam Manning, Helping Hands; Cllr Jean Read; Carol Atkins, Helping Hands; Maureen Langdon, Helping Hands and Keith Wilcox, Head Groundsman
Ferndown has brought home not one, but three coveted awards from the 2014 South and South East in Bloom competition.
Ferndown Town Council, in association with Ferndown in Bloom, have been awarded the coveted silver gilt award in the 2014 South and South East in Bloom competition.
The judges were accompanied along their route by the town clerk, Vanessa Ricketts and councillor Jean Read, chairman of Ferndown in Bloom. The route began at the King George V Playing Fields where the judges were impressed with the wonderful bowls club and surrounding floral displays. They met volunteers of the Royal British Legion on route and appreciated the memorial gardens of both King George V and the RBL. The town centre planting was in full bloom and they enjoyed the bright floral displays before heading off to Homeland House where they met members of the Helping Hands Gardening Club. So impressed were the judges with the beautiful gardens at Homelands House that they awarded them a Level 4 ‘Thriving’, It’s your Neighbourhood, special community award.
From Homeland House the judges visited various other facilities in the area before finally arriving at Longham allotments where they were met by the chairman of the Ferndown Allotments Association, Richard Dean. Impressed with the standard of the facilities and individual allotments, the judges awarded a Level 3 ‘Improving’, It’s Your Neighbourhood, special community award.
The South and South East in Bloom award ceremony was held in Brighton in September and Cllr Mrs Jean Read was delighted to receive all three awards on behalf of Ferndown and its residents. Jean then had the pleasure of presenting the awards to the worthy winners.
Keith Wilcox, head groundsman of KGV and lead gardener for FTC received the silver gilt award from Jean and said, “I’m delighted that the hard work of our team has received this wonderful recognition. It would not have been possible without Adrian Lewis, town lengthsman and groundsmen Alan Bradford and Eric Linge.”
