Rochdale Township scoops seven top prizes at RHS Awards

Members of the Rochdale Township in Bloom Steering Committee receive awards at the RHS ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ Awards 2016'

Rochdale Township won seven awards at the this year’s ‘It’s Your Neighbourhood’ awards at the Royal Horticultural Societies North West in Bloom Competition.

The entry is lead and coordinated by a team of volunteers from across the town who have been working throughout the year to bring together a portfolio of projects which left RHS judges in no doubt that Rochdale was bloomin’ marvellous.

On Wednesday, community volunteers made the trip to Southport to meet the judges, along with other groups from across the North West, to find out the final decision for their efforts.

Five projects took the top award of ‘outstanding’ including an alley gate scheme in Cutgate, Moss Row Allotments and Jubilee Park in Norden, The Growth Project close to Rochdale town centre and the Roch Valley Outdoor Learning Centre.

Two additional projects, Castleton Station and Ravendale Sheltered Accommodation complex, which were included for the first time this year, were also awarded ‘thriving’, the highest available award for new entries.

Chairman, Nigel Morrell said: “Once again, due to the fantastic efforts of our community groups, volunteers and council officers, Rochdale Township in Bloom is at the forefront of demonstrating to the RHS the best that our town has to offer.”

Groups of volunteers from Pennines and Heywood Townships will join the Rochdale team as they travel back in Southport on Friday to find out the results of the overall competition.

Rochdale will be looking to keep the momentum going and with such an impressive start in the individual entries hopes are high for more of the same at the main event.