North West In Bloom: Castleton retains Level 5 Outstanding for community It's Your Neighbourhood entries

Castleton again triumphed at this year’s community-led It’s Your Neighbourhood accolades at the 2023 North West In Bloom awards (Tuesday 17 October).

The two displays at Castleton Railway Station and The Village Green and War Memorial were both awarded the Royal Horticultural Society’s highest grade possible, Level 5 Outstanding, for the second year running.

The event was held in the football stadium of Bolton Wanderers where Councillor Billy Sheerin accepted the certificates on behalf of the volunteers who helped to make this happen.

He said he was “delighted and proud” to accept the awards.

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.

 

 

This year, planting at the railway station was carried out in June by children from the village’s four primary schools, ahead of the judging day on 25 July.

Several children from St Edward’s returned on judging day; when asked by one of the judges to identify the names of the plants in the displays, they got every one of them right.

Councillor Sheerin said the Village Green entry also “seriously impressed the judges” with the Jubilee beacon, war memorial and Remembrance wall, which features the names of local men who fell in the two World Wars.

He added: “Thanks must go to volunteers Peter Kelly for the groundwork and Sheila Whitworth for collating the names, which are now proudly displayed on the wall behind the memorial stone.”

Castleton’s floral features form part of the main ‘Rochdale In Bloom’ entry, which has received gold for the town centre in recent years, and helped the town win last year’s National North West in Bloom Award 'The Best Small City' in Britain.
 

Read more: Second national win for Rochdale with prestigious Britain in Bloom title Published: 10 October 2022
Rochdale sweeps up at North West in Bloom awardsPublished: 22 October 2022

This year’s results for the wider townships are on Thursday (19 October).