Elaine Smith MBE and Betty Bradford hand over the Blackpool in Bloom Baton to Enveco!
Enveco NW, Blackpool’s environmental service provider for Blackpool Council, co-hosted the Blackpool in Bloom 2023 competition for the very first time!
With exceptional guidance and support from Elaine Smith MBE and Betty Bradford, as they prepared to hand over the baton.
Blackpool in Bloom allows Blackpool residents and businesses to compete in showcasing their beautiful outside spaces. It builds civic pride whilst making the appearance of the town appealing to residents and visitors alike.
It all started over 20 years ago by Cllr Kath Rowson and has since evolved into 11 categories of judging, capturing a wide range of community, businesses and home life in the town. The aim is to encourage more businesses and community groups to get involved and reveal their beautiful surroundings.
Elaine Smith MBE and Betty Bradford are incredible volunteers within the community. Elaine has been involved in Blackpool In Bloom for many years, which started when she competed in the competition in the mid-1990s and took over hosting in 2001. Betty Bradford and her late husband Danny Bradford first competed in 2007 before becoming judges in 2010.
Since they took over management, we have seen the creation of the award ceremony, the formation of friendships, and the addition of new categories to encourage more individuals and businesses to participate.
Elaine Smith MBE said
”I am delighted to be passing this competition onto Enveco, as they are an environmental company for Blackpool Council it feels like the right thing to do. Betty and I have been with the hosts from start to finish so I know we were able to hand this over the best way. The overall competition was a huge success and I look forward to having more time to enjoy it next year.”
This year, 37 open spaces were judged over the course of two days, through rain and shine. Elaine Smith and Diane Farley (Enveco’s Neighbourhood Officer) managed the route whilst four judges, Betty Bradford, Terry Mason, Tim Reilly, and Allan Wignall, judged the competition, as they have for many years sharing a wealth of knowledge. Jessica Christian (Enveco’s Marketing and Communications Officer) had the pleasure of capturing these beautiful spaces, and Andy Parr from the Blackpool Council transport team kindly drove the bus for the two days.
Each judge scored from 50 points – 10 for design, 10 for colour, 10 for impact, 10 for maintenance and 10 for overall impression – this is how they came to the winning decisions.
After two days of judging the numbers were in and the winners were chosen.
THE RESULTS
HOTELS & HOLIDAY FLATS (10 ROOMS OR LESS)
- Runner-up – Wayne and Peter Edwards from the Lawrence House Hotel
- Winner – Carole Cregan from the Clifton House Hotel
CLEAN AND GREEN STREET SCENE
- Winner – Stuart Reynolds, of back General Street
PUBS, RESTAURANTS AND LICENCED PREMISES
- Winner – Chris Bracegirdle, of the Boars Head
CORONATION THEMED GARDEN (ADDITIONAL CATEGORY)
- Runner-up – Charlotte Bremner and the team at William Lyon’s House
- Winner – Chris Varney
When visiting the Forget Me Not Dementia Café at the Marton United Reformed Church, the judges realised that this open space was something different to the other categories. The judges were so impressed by the safe garden space and the work being done that they decided to create the Memory Garden Award.
This open space means so much to the over 30 people from the group who have been tending to the Sensory Garden every week, come rain or shine and always with a smile.
MEMORY GARDEN (ADDITIONAL CATEGORY)
- Winner – Jenny Fitzsimmons from the Forget Me Not Dementia Café at the Marton United Reformed Church
After this unusually hot summer and now the wet weather, conservation is at the forefront of everyone’s mind. Travelling through the judges realised that the categories did not do justice to some of the gardens, therefore they opted for a more appropriate category and introduced a private conservation category, with the following results.
PRIVATE CONSERVATION (ADDITIONAL CATEGORY)
- Runner-up – Ellen Chambers
- Winner – Neil Williams
CONSERVATION GARDENS
- Highly commended – Angela and the team at Belle Vue, Strawberry Gardens
- Runner-up – Holy Family Church
- Winner – Joseph Mori and the team at the Revoe Community Garden
COMMERCIAL OFFICES, SHOPS & FACTORIES
- Winner – Paul Preston and his team at the Household Waste Recycling Centre for the tree-lined pathway
HANGING BASKETS
- Highly acclaimed – Chris Varney
- Runner-up – Ian Brown
- Winner – Arthur Parry
SMALL PRIVATE GARDENS & BACK YARDS
- Outstanding effort – Mark and Julia Arnold, Paul Scandrett and James Grisedale
- Highly commended – Michael Smith
- Runner-up – Arthur Parry
- Winner – Howard Crump
MEDIUM PRIVATE GARDENS
- Highly commended – Michael Emsley
- Highly commended – Ian Brown
- Runner-up – Stephen Connolly
- Winner – Garry Tunnicliffe
LARGE PRIVATE GARDENS
- Highly commended – Jeannette Grierson
- Runner-up – Brian Gore
- Winner – Vivian Wallace-Dand
COMMUNITY GARDENS
- Outstanding effort – Abbeyfield House, Norbreck Road and Regent Court Apartments
- Highly commended – Layton Community House and Claremont Community Garden
- Runner-up – Abbeyfield House, Harrow Side
- Winner – Stanley Park Rose Garden
SPECIAL RECOGNITION (ADDITIONAL CATEGORY)
- Winner – Watson Road Secret Park
STREET IMPACT (ADDITIONAL CATEGORY)
- Winner – Robert Robson
To view all the beautiful open spaces, please click this link.
An award ceremony “fit for a king”
The award ceremony took place at the Winter Gardens, over 100 people attended, and each entrant received a certificate from Blackpool’s Worshipful Mayor, Cllr Gillian Campbell, and Mayoress, Sky Campbell. The winners and runners-up received newly designed trophies. Diane Farley of Enveco did a wonderful job hosting the event, with help from the Enveco crew, Elaine Smith and Betty Bradford.
John Blackledge, Director of Community and Environmental Services at Blackpool Council, John Paul Lovie, Head of Waste Management at Blackpool Council, and John Hawkin, Managing Director at Enveco all attended the event and spoke with the competition entrants.
The event was a huge success with Enveco being supported by Blackpool Council and the Winter Gardens which of course helped make it as special as it was.
Managing Director, John Hawkin said
“Blackpool in Bloom is a fantastic initiative to encourage individuals, groups and businesses to show off their inspirational gardening projects and add to the quality green spaces in the Town.”
Join Blackpool in Bloom 2024, email your interest to marketing@enveconw.co.uk and nearer the time you will be sent an application form.
Let’s make sure we have a blooming 2024 in Blackpool!