Clean sweep of Level 5 Outstanding awards for Norden In Bloom

Date published: 17 October 2023

Norden In Bloom has once again scored a clean sweep of top marks in the community-led It’s Your Neighbourhood accolades at this year’s North West In Bloom awards (Tuesday 17 October).

All five of Norden’s entries – Ashworth Valley, Taylor Park, Norden Jubilee Park, Moss Row Allotments and Norden Bowling Club – received the Royal Horticultural Society’s highest grade possible, Level 5 Outstanding, for their community-led projects for the third year running.

Ashworth Valley has won Level 5 Outstanding for five years running, this time earning a discretionary award for the achievement.

The regional North West in Bloom competition consists of two judging days in the summer ahead of an autumn awards ceremony. The first day is a guided tour taking in areas of interest around Rochdale; the second allows for visits to community-based projects that include local schools, allotments, health and well-being projects and conservation areas.

Paul Ellison, chairman of Norden In Bloom, said: “Scoring the highest mark for three years in a row is another fantastic achievement for all of Norden's neighbourhood groups.

“These incredible results are all down to the dedicated groups of volunteers, who put in so much time and effort all year round. Their results are rightly deserved for each.”

Phil Starr, also of Norden In Bloom, added: “These brilliant results are once again another outstanding recognition of all the hard work done by the different communities in and around blooming Norden.”

Norden’s Jubilee Park is already an award-winning green space, being bestowed a gold medal for the RHS Park Award twice in a row as well as a national distinction award at the 2019 North West Britain in Bloom.

This year marks its eighth entry into the competition, much like the Moss Row Allotments.

The Friends of Ashworth Valley have now entered the competition five times, whilst both The Friends of Taylor Park and Norden Bowling Club became involved three years ago.

Each group has continued to build on their previous successes, making continual improvements.