DONAGHADEE has secured national recognition for its stunning floral features, praised as among the best in the UK in its latest ‘In Bloom’ success.
The seaside town, voted best place to live in the UK in recent years, won a Gold award in the town category at the Royal Horticultural Society’s (RHS) Britain in Bloom awards.
The celebration of the town’s horticultural highlights on the UK stage, comes hot on the heels of Donaghadee’s fifth win in a row in the Ulster heat of the contest.
The RHS is the UK’s leading gardening charity which strives to encourage people’s interest in gardening to foster ‘happiness, health, stronger communities and a thriving natural world’.
A five-strong delegation, including members of the Donaghadee Community Development Association (DCDA) and Ards and North Down Mayor Gillian McCollum, picked up the prestigious award at a ceremony at Brighton’s Grand Hotel on Friday.
Donaghadee was listed among four recipients of the Gold award behind the town category winner, Amersham in England, alongside Abergavenny in Wales, Brandon in Anglia, and Alnwick in Northumbria.
John Caldwell, of the DCDA ,said the judges were compelled to pin a gold ribbon on the town due to the level of community involvement and floral beauty dotting the town.
With the council’s support, the DCDA supplied plants to local people, clubs, churches and a host of community organisations which were enthusiastic in planting and tending to an impressive 27 flower boxes along the shorefront.
“That’s the strength of involvement in the town and we scored highly for community participation and the huge number of volunteers who get involved; but we wouldn’t be doing it if we didn’t love it.”
Mr Caldwell said the judges’ eyes were also attracted to the town’s many hanging baskets.
“The judges said they were among the best hanging baskets they had seen.”
He turned to the work of the DCDA’s recycling ambassador, Harry Wilson, who created a Spitfire out of recycled materials, a lighthouse with movement sensitive solar lights, an air raid shelter for last May’s VE day celebrations and converted four disused bins into vegetable gardens to encourage children to eat their five a day.
Mr Caldwell said there were many individuals who have committed much time and effort to the town’s efforts and also deserve credit.
He added that the town is now ‘on tenterhooks’ as it prepares for the all-Ireland Pride of Place awards being held in Limerick tomorrow (Friday).
The Mayor has said Donaghadee was ‘such a worthy winner of this prestigious Gold Award’.
“The hours of hard work that go into achieving gold at Britain in Bloom are immense,” said Mrs McCollum.
“The whole borough joins with me in sharing our pride and admiration at Donaghadee’s incredible success. Huge congratulations.”
North Down MLA Stephen Dunne has said he was ‘absolutely delighted’ with Donaghadee’s latest success.
“This is a truly fantastic achievement and very well deserved recognition of the incredible dedication, teamwork and community spirit that shines through in Donaghadee all year round.
“The Donaghadee Community Development Association, the Dee Bloomers, local businesses and the many wonderful volunteers who work tirelessly to plant, maintain and water the town’s beautiful floral displays throughout the year all deserve enormous credit,” he added.
