CUMBRIA in Bloom celebrations crossed the county this week, with three awards celebrations.

The event across Cumbria included Kendal and Whitehaven, with the final event at the Civic Centre in Carlisle.

Mayor of Carlisle, Brampton’s Mike Mitchelson, welcomed gardeners, judges and Cumbria in Bloom members to the Civic Hall for the third and final ceremony.

He also presented the Biodiversity Schools Trophy to Stoneraise Primary, Carlisle, Cumbria Tourism Chairman;s Trophy to Hideaway Loft, Laversdale, Lake District National Park Trophy to Seatoller House, Borrowdale and re-presented the RHS Community Champion award to Danny Poland.

He said: “It is a pleasure to host this event, celebrating the achievements of the gardeners in North Cumbria.

“It is important to pay tribute to everyone who takes part.

“It’s hard work, requires lots of volunteers and is well worth it.

“Cumbria in Bloom is a great way to promote your town or village.”

Chairman of Cumbria in Bloom, Ronnie Auld, said: “Cumbria is a big place to cover and our judges cover many miles to see all the gardens who are entered into the competition.

“And this year Cumbria was successfully represented the national Britain in Bloom by three of last year’s winners - Workington who won a Silver Medal , Ulverston BID won a Gold Medal and Irthington Village won a Silver Gilt and their leading gardener Danny Poland, 20 receive the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) Community Champion award.

“We’re so proud of Cumbria achieving so much at a national level.”

Clare Hutton, headteacher at Hallbankgate Village School, which received a gold award for school gardening, said: “Following the pandemic, gardening and outdoor learning has been a vital element of our curriculum and wellbeing provision throughout the whole school.

“Throughout the course of the year the children have planned, created, and taken responsibility for many areas of our school grounds, including our pond and wildlife garden, vegetable garden and pots and planters at the front of our school.

“We have all enjoyed eating lots of the produce that we have grown for our school lunches, too!

“This is the first year that we have entered Cumbria in Bloom and we are thrilled that the children’s effort and learning has been rewarded with a gold award.”