We are gold – The borough of Rochdale sweeps up at North West in Bloom awards

The borough of Rochdale continues its winning streak at this year's North West in Bloom awards after judges deemed floral displays and award-winning parks as shining examples, just days after Rochdale had been awarded ‘best small city' in the national finals.

A record number of outstanding entries secured the council, local businesses and the many community gardeners a very impressive 20 gold awards across the borough - all met with rapturous applause at an awards ceremony held at Bolton Stadium Hotel on Thursday, 20 October 2022.

Rochdale was once again chosen as the pick of the bunch, taking gold and the overall winner in the ‘small city’ category, plus gold for ‘town centre’ and the trophy for ‘best town’.

Denehurst Park in Rochdale upped its game this year taking gold in the ‘large parks’ category - the first time the park had taken the top spot after achieving silver gilt awards in the last two years.

Heywood collected a gold medal for ‘town centre’, with the Heywood in Bloom group taking the award for ‘large town’ and the Friends of Queen’s Park taking home the gold for best ‘large park’.

The judges were impressed by the centre of Heywood, including the memorial gardens, the meticulously maintained Queen's Park and levels of street cleanliness, which was noted across the whole of the borough. Heywood Distribution Park walked away with gold again in the ‘large commercial' category.

Hopwood Park in Heywood also achieved gold status on behalf of the friends’ group in the ‘small park’ category,  including gold for The Tree House café situated at the park in the ‘small commercial’ category, with Face Medical taking a silver gilt and Phoenix Brewery a bronze award in the same category.

Sandra Trickett, who runs the café at Hopwood Park was also recognised for her outstanding contribution, alongside Ava and Elias Avellanet from Heywood, proudly taking the ‘young bloomer of the year award’.

Over in Middleton, the gold awards kept coming as Jubilee Park won gold in the ‘small parks’ category and Middleton town centre took gold in the ‘town centre’ category. The Middleton in Bloom group also took gold in the ‘small city’ category.

In Norden, Jubilee Park scooped gold again in the ‘pocket park’ category, plus the Norden in Bloom group, who were newcomers last year, maintained gold status for ‘large village’.

Local businesses, Zen Internet in Rochdale achieved gold in the ‘small commercial’ category, alongside Pinnacle Living in Birtle, which also gained gold in this category plus another gold in the ‘large accommodation’ category, taking the overall trophy for both. The same development also won best new landscape.

The Baum pub took gold again for ‘small accommodation’, plus a bronze for The Oxford pub.

Spotland and Falinge bagged a gold award in the ‘urban community’ category, and the delightful Healey Dell Heritage Centre and tea rooms took gold in ‘small tourist attraction’.

Other superb achievements included the best mosque for Jamia Masjid Bilal for the attention to detail and environmental efforts, plus the best hospice in the North West for Springhill Hospice, including an outstanding contribution award for Nick Dent - head gardener at the hospice who retired last year.

Councillor Liam O’Rourke, the council’s cabinet member for climate change and environment, said:  “What can I say, our green-fingered borough may have made others green with envy, thanks to our first-class teams, dedicated volunteer groups, local businesses and schools who turn out in all weathers throughout the year to achieve such high standards day after day.

“My thanks go to every person who has pulled out all the stops to get results like these, which do not go unnoticed. Community spirit and teamwork are alive and kicking across Rochdale, and everyone should be proud to be part of our first-class, award-winning borough.