Three Gold Awards were handed to organisations in South Leeds at the recent Yorkshire in Bloom awards ceremony.
Beeston in Bloom won in the Urban Community category; Middleton Railway in the Tourist Attraction category; and White Rose Shopping Centre in the Large Business category where it was joint Category Winner.
Judges described Beeston in Bloom as a “friendly, welcoming bunch who work tirelessly to improve and uplift the area.” They went on to praise the groups inclusivity and diversity and their ability to work with so many other groups including schools, churches and businesses.
Commenting on the award, Beeston in Bloom’s Secretary, Linda Stanley said:
“We were delighted to be awarded a gold medal by the Yorkshire in Bloom judges. The result is a real achievement, but to maintain the gold standard requires hard work and commitment. During the pandemic and last year’s heat wave we have not only maintained our projects, but introduced many new features. The gold medal is the cherry on the top of our 25th birthday celebrations.”
The volunteers that run Middleton Railway were praised by judges who said they “clearly cared for the railway and their pride shone … All planted areas were of a high standard with obvious thought & consideration gone into
selection of plants.”
Middleton Railway Trust Vice President Ian Smith said:
“We are delighted to receive another Gold Award for our efforts with Yorkshire in Bloom. This reflects the hard work of our gardener, Mick Jackson, who has worked so hard to provide the floral displays which are always enjoyed by our visitors. The Trust intends to build upon our success by making recommended improvements over the winter period.”
The Yorkshire in Bloom judges were also impressed with White Rose Shopping Centre, commenting:
“Driving up to the shopping centre was a pleasure in itself with living walls bordering the site, and trees and flowers dotted wherever possible to break up the standard concrete and tarmac that is present in any car park. The flower beds and hanging baskets outside the main entrance of the shopping centre made for a pleasant approach to the building.”
Steven Foster, Centre Director at White Rose Shopping Centre, responded:
“It’s an honour to be awarded Gold in this year’s Yorkshire in Bloom competition. We’re proud to work alongside Nurture Landscapes to create our green areas and woodland trail, designed to be welcoming to both visitors and wildlife, and we’re pleased the judges made special mention of the centre’s environmental work. We aim to be as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible and with our solar panels, centre-roof beehives, waste recycling scheme which already sees 0% diverted to landfill, and rainwater harvesting scheme, we’re well on our way.”
Congratulations to all three winners.
Photo: Sheila Brogden and Linda Stanley from Beeston in Bloom receive their Gold award
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