Green fingered residents come together

First Choice Homes Oldham

This year’s Growing Together awards evening was another blooming success!

Customers from all over Oldham were brought together through their love of gardening and being able to brighten up not only their own gardens, but their communities too.

The event, held at Smokies Hotel, recognises the talents and dedication of its green fingered customers.

Categories on the night included Most Improved Garden, Young Gardener of the Year and Best Community Garden of the Year. Special guest host was the author, gardener and presenter, Toby Buckland who had the pleasure of presenting the winners with their awards on the night.

He said: “I am so pleased at how welcoming the audience and organisers were. The event is such a wonderful opportunity for local communities to come together and share their experiences and tips. I would be delighted to attend the event again.”

The overall winners for First Choice Homes Oldham were Dorothy and Stanley Gordon from Brooks Drive in Failsworth who were presented by the sponsor of the event Clive Newton, Managing Director from local construction firm Emanuel Whittaker’s.

The judges commented: “The winners have produced an outstanding garden. It has so much interest with different areas and is always changing through the seasons. Their family enjoy using the space very much and we could have quite happily spent a whole afternoon looking around.”

Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Cooperatives at Oldham Council, Councillor Barbara Brownridge, said: “All the awards on the night were well deserved and the effort from the community always makes me proud of Oldham.

"The ceremony gave gardeners the chance to show off their open spaces and have some fun after all the hard work they have put in over the last few months.

"The event grows in popularity every year and the commitment from residents helps make our borough look beautiful. Well done to all the winners from the evening for leading example and helping others improve the look and feel of the borough.”

The competition will be open again for entries in May 2018.