Northwich is celebrating this week after the town received four gongs at the 2018 North West in Bloom Awards which took place in Southport on Thursday 1st and Friday 2nd November.
Grozone Community Garden was also recognised by the judges after being named outstanding in the ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ section before also being given the RHS Wild About Gardens award for the project’s contribution to gardening for wildlife.
Entries into the BID and Best Large Town categories were co-ordinated by the Northwich BID team with support from partners Northwich Town Council and Cheshire West and Chester Council, while local businesses and the community also helped out on a range of projects.
This included planting initiatives in Vickersway Park and at St Helen’s Church, and also saw the BID committing additional investment to further hanging and railing baskets throughout Northwich Town Centre.
A number of businesses transformed their window displays and shop frontages too to add colour and vibrancy to the high street, helping ensure the town delivered a diverse and comprehensive entry for the judges to explore when they visited Northwich on Monday 6th August.
The Grozone team were heavily involved throughout the process as well, helping create a wildflower garden in Barons Quay with local schoolchildren from Victoria Road Primary School and consistently delivering a series of workshops and events for their regular attendees.
Northwich BID Manager Jane Hough is delighted with the outcome from the awards ceremony.
“To receive the prestigious Silver Gilt award in two separate categories is testament to the hard work that our partners, businesses and volunteers put in to help transform Northwich.
“I’d like to say thank you to everyone who helped Northwich bloom and it further highlights the brilliant teamwork and community spirit that exists here in the town.”
Jon Hutchinson, Programme Director for Communities at Groundwork Cheshire, Lancashire and Merseyside, helps oversee provision at Grozone Community Garden and was thrilled when he heard the news about the two awards.
“The work Grozone does for the community is vital. We provide opportunities for people to connect, learn and build positive relationships. It is fantastic that the efforts from staff and volunteers at Grozone have been recognised with such prestigious awards.”
“We will continue to try and ensure that Grozone is an oasis for people and wildlife, and awards like this give us more determination to make it even better.”
