South West In Bloom Awards 2016
Dartmouth won a Gold Medal and the Ayre cup, (awarded to towns with a population under 6,000) in the South West in Bloom Awards. A team of members of Dartmouth Green Partnerships attended the awards event at Taunton County Cricket Ground. They are pictured below with the cup and winner’s flag.
Dartmouth Brownies were awarded a SWIB Specific Project Award and the West Country TV Cup for their ‘outstanding effort’ in helping plant the town’s 114 hanging baskets. DGP
Chairman, Stevie Rogers (above right) accepted the award on their behalf, presented by SWIB Patron and Guest of Honour, Lord Julian Fellowes (of Downton Abbey fame). Pictured below are the Brownies with their baskets.
Dartmouth was nominated for an award for Exceptional Community effort for A Specific Project, for the English Cottage Garden and the town’s hanging baskets. Another nomination was the Dart Marina Hotel for the best Business Floral Display.
An award was made in the Its Your Neighbourhood category to Dartmouth Greenhouse and Potager – Outstanding DGP Chairman said: We are delighted that the hard work by the community creating wonderful floral displays in Dartmouth has
been recognised. We are particularly pleased that the efforts made by the Brownies in helping make our hanging baskets have been rewarded with their own cup.’
The judges said: ‘The concept of Dartmouth Green Partnerships, rather than a traditional ‘In Bloom’ group works very well. It is well organised and provides an effective overview and coordinating body.
‘The use of imaginative and high quality permanent planting, together with annual seeded areas and the creation of themed features has reduced the need for extensive areas of bedding to provide seasonal colour and interest and this is to be commended. DGP has comprehensively embraced the principles of sustainable planting and is using this to good effect inproviding long lasting and more interesting displays.
‘Plans to raise funds for the new Pyramid Greenhouse illustrate a forward looking attitude to keep this lovely Devon resort at the top of the tree in the South West and the attitude and involvement of businesses in supporting efforts is sure to keep visitors flocking to the town.
‘What has been achieved in Dartmouth is really an excellent example of community participation. The only qualification to this is the future cooperation of council services. All are aware of the reduction of council budgets, but it would be good to see a little more support for the excellent efforts from the rest of the community.’ The judges had noted that the cleanliness and quality of the street scene could have been higher in places, with
better weed control.
2015 Awards
Dartmouth Green Partnerships had an exciting summer in 2015, planting displays for visitors and local people to enjoy, and to win the hearts and minds of both South West in Bloom and Britain in Bloom judges.
The national Britain in Bloom results were announced in Sunderland on Friday October 16, when Dartmouth won Gold in the Seaside Towns under 12,000 population category. Pictured above are DGP representatives Kathy Stansfield and Stevie Rogers accepting the Gold award from Jeff Banks, Vice Chairman, RHS.
The South West in Bloom competition was judged in the summer – the team is pictured below with the judges in the bandstand. Results were announced at the Awards ceremony in Dartmouth at the Britannia Royal Naval College on Thursday 24 September. Dartmouth won Gold in the Champion of Champions Category. Pictured below are members of the DGP team at the BRNC with the Mayor and Mayoress, and accepting the award from Jonathan Dimbleby.
