Rochdale puts on a blooming good show for the North West in Bloom competition

Sunken gardens at Denehurst Park

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Members of the RHS (Royal Horticultural Society) have visited Rochdale for the judging of the North West in Bloom competition.  

The Rochdale Township in Bloom entry is masterminded each year by a small committee of community volunteers and showcases some of the town’s best horticultural and environmental features.

This year’s entries included: Jubilee Park, Moss Row Allotments, Caldershaw Primary School, Denehurst Cemetery, St Edward’s Primary School, Castleton Station, Springhill Hospice and the Growth Project, amongst others.

Sites were visited across the course of the day with individual marks being totalled across all the projects and features.

This year’s RHS judging team included three experts, headed up by chariman of North West in Bloom, Bill Blackledge MBE. During their visit they marked each of the features based on community participation, environmental responsibility and gardening achievement.

Speaking about the visit Mr Blackedge said: “It is clear that the Rochdale Township entry is very community orientated. We have seen a wonderful amount of community involvement today.”

New for this year the tour included a special dedicated entry from the Rochdale Town Centre management team.

The judges met with the Mayor before being shown around the town centre, including stops at Number One Riverside, the newly re-opened River Roch and St Mary’s Church.

The judges said: “One thing we have noticed is how clean the streets are both along the route and on our way into the town, no weeds, no litter, they are spotless.”

Speaking after the visit, the chairman of the Rochdale Township in Bloom Committee said: “Today’s tour has been an absolute pleasure, we have had a great day and the judges have seen a side of Rochdale that is rarely portrayed by the media.

"Community has been a real focus of what we have shown the judges today and we think it has really hit the mark.

"Rochdale can be very proud of itself, we have a great town and a lot to celebrate.”

With many more entries still to be visited over the summer months, the results of the visit will not be announced until October, at a special awards ceremony held in Southport.