Penrith Absent from 2023 Cumbria in Bloom Awards

Penrith Absent from 2023 Cumbria in Bloom Awards 

The town entry for Penrith was absent as the 2023 Cumbria in Bloom were celebrated across Cumbria this week, with three awards events held to provide more opportunities for those who take part in the annual horticultural event to attend the awards events, Cumbria in Bloom hosted award ceremonies in Whitehaven, Kendal and at the Cumbria Wildlife Trust Gosling Sike near Carlisle.

Penrith failed to take part in this year’s Cumbria in Bloom in the town’s category with the only individual entry in Penrith made by the staff and pupils of North Lakes school who received a Silver award for the school's garden project.

Penrith has traditionally taken part in Cumbria in Bloom as a town and has represented Cumbria in the national Britain in Bloom awards in past years.

In Westmorland and Furness the only towns to enter were Ulverston, Kendal and Barrow.

Westmorland and Furness council worked with Barrow BID, Cumbria Woodlands, council contractors Continental Landscapes, school children and the wider community to create Barrow’s first Cumbria in Bloom entry for more than 15 years.

In the local area the village of Clifton in its first ever entry into Cumbria in Bloom won three awards. 

Clifton Community Council Chair Councillor Jonathan Davies collected the Silver Gilt Medal Award for the Pride in Your Community Award 2023, Silver Gilt Award for BioDiversity 2023, Bronze Special Award for Woodland Copse 2023 on behalf of Clifton.

Janet Clark and Andrea Brunsendorf of Lowther Castle receive Gold Award Runner Up Cumbria Tourism Rose Bowl Visitor Attraction from High Sheriff of Cumbria Samantha Scott.

Chairman of Cumbria in Bloom, Ronnie Auld said: “We don’t think of Cumbria in Bloom Awards as a competition but as a reward, a celebration and recognition for the effort and successes of communities, working together to improve their local environment.

“we are delighted Kendal and Whitehaven will be representing Cumbria in the Britain in Bloom Awards next week.”

Councillor Dyan Jones, Cabinet Member for Customer and Waste Services at Westmorland and Furness Council, said: “It is really super when people come together from across a community to boost the town’s biodiversity in this way. It was a pleasure to see Barrow in full bloom this summer, thanks to all involved.

"Congratulations also to Kendal, Ulverston and all the other winners across Westmorland and Furness for putting on such wonderful displays.

“As an ecologically aware council, we look forward to building on this excellent achievement in the years ahead, inspiring other towns and villages across the area to do the same.”