News Item

Bootle community gardeners honoured for In Bloom success

Green-fingered community gardeners in Bootle have been honoured for their contribution to the town’s success in a national horticultural competition.

At its first attempt this summer, Bootle won a Bronze Award in the Urban Community Category of the Royal Horticultural Society’s prestigious North West in Bloom event.

And volunteers who helped to make the achievement possible were recognised recently at a certificate presentation ceremony organised in Southport by Sefton Council’s Green Sefton team.

The idea to put Bootle forward for the competition came from a network of community gardens and community organisations involved in growing and environmental activities under the umbrella of the Taking Root in Bootle network, which is supported by Well Sefton, a public health initiative.

With the help of the Green Sefton Team and the Taking Root Co-ordinators, groups spent many months working hard to brighten up Bootle’s highways, parks and green space by planting flowers and plants and installing new artwork.

In addition, volunteers were involved in improving the local environment in other ways by tackling grotspots, undertaking litter-picks and carrying out improvements to parks and green spaces.

Ruth Livesey from social enterprise Regenerus, who co-oordinates the network, said: “Winning this Bronze Award in the first year the town entered the In Bloom competition was a fantastic achievement. It was only possible because of the hard work and commitment of local people over many months.

“Now everyone involved in Bootle in Bloom is really looking forward to 2020, when we’re aiming to go one better with a silver medal in our sights,” added Ruth.

The results of the ‘green’ efforts of local communities are really being recognised this year, as the In Bloom award wasn’t the only awards success for Taking Root in Bootle this summer.

The network also landed a top prize at the Tatton Flower Show when judges gave its Our Space garden a gold medal in the Blooming Borders category of the competition.