All schools in Cumbria have received an invitation to be part of the Cumbria in Bloom 2022 competition.
This event is part of Cumbria in Bloom’s Annual Awards, which attracts many young gardeners to the Schools Gardening section.
Keith McIntosh, vice chairman of Cumbria in Bloom said: “The Schools Gardening section of our competition in previous years has been amazing.
“Last year, the Cumbria in Bloom judges really enjoyed their visits, especially when they were able to meet with pupils and hear about their activities first-hand.
“And they returned to most of the school entrants to present certificates showing the levels of achievement and the results were of such a high standard.
“Schools are very much part of the town or village in which they are situated. The importance of community involvement is highlighted by our main competition being titled Pride in Your Community – named to emphasise that the visual impact should show the care taken by a community with its appearance: tidiness, good maintenance as well as floral, horticultural, environmental, and public support.”
Dane Ghyll Primary and Nursery and Wiggonby CE Primary were joint winners of the Sheila Hensman Trophy for outstanding achievement, and Pennington CE Primary won the Rex Marsden Memorial Shield Special Award for Section B – Enriching the Curriculum.
All schools in Cumbria are invited to take part in the Cumbria in Bloom Schools Gardening Awards 2022.
This year, Cumbria in Bloom is asking the young gardeners to think about biodiversity, protection of wildlife and adapting to climate change.
Keith added: “There will be school special awards for Biodiversity and Small Woodland Copse to endorse these contributions to the environment.
“And to get the schools started, each will be sent a packet of seeds to keep the children involved through sowing, watching them grow, to planting out.”
This year, Cumbria in Bloom will be presenting a special Queen’s Platinum Jubilee Feature Award. This will be open to all entrants in 2022 for any size of project – from plant pot to forest – and will be awarded to the best school entry.
It is hoped that judging can be undertaken by visits, as usual by a lead and assistant judge on an agreed date in late June/early July.
However, because of possible restrictions, schools will be asked to take photographs throughout the year and a diary of activities compiled by the pupils for the three months from the initial entry.
Keith added: “This will give a good insight into what has been happening on the ground throughout the year.
“Every school entry will be awarded a level of achievement certificate following judging.”
For more information, visit www.cumbria-in-bloom.org.uk.
