The Oxton Society has won many gold awards from North West in Bloom since they have been decorating the village with beautiful hanging baskets.
Award winning hanging baskets in Oxton village. |
Over the last two years we have entered the Arno quarry and Rose Garden into the North West in Bloom scheme. In our first year we reached a level 4 which meant we were a thriving community working to provide a beautiful green space for everyone to enjoy. Last year 2019, our second year of entering the competition, we worked even harder and achieved a level 5 of outstanding, the highest level for our category. I posted about it on this blog and showed the certificate we were awarded.
Earlier this year, Bill Blackledge MBE, chairman of the RHS North West in Bloom, sadly passed away. John Booth, our committee member who built the bee hotels, together with so many other projects, decided that we should put up a plaque in memory of Bill somewhere in the Rose Garden. Due to Covid-19 and lockdown we were restricted in what we could do. However, last Saturday 5th September 2020 we gathered, not too closely of course, to unveil the plaque beneath one of our bee hotels.
Members of the Oxton Society joined us for this ceremony, as he was also well known through the Oxton village North West in Bloom achievements. If you click on the link below, you can learn more about this remarkable man.
Gathering for the unveiling. |
John Booth gives his short speech about Bill. |
The plaque in Bill's memory. |