Archive for the ‘Competitions’ Category
October 25, 2015
Over thirty members of the Trust attended the recent Open Meeting, at which a report was given about the Trust’s entry in Northumbria in Bloom this year.
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Unfortunately, we were unsuccessful in our bid for ‘Gold’, being just 4 marks [out of 200] short of attaining the top award in the competition, but we managed to achieve our highest score ever and another ‘Silver Gilt’, for the third consecutive year.
Disappointed that the extra improvements and volunteer effort this year had only resulted in achieving another ‘Silver Gilt’, it was announced that the ‘Blooming’ committee had decided not to enter the competition in 2016. It was emphasised, though, that the high standard of planting in the tubs, baskets, troughs and sustainable beds throughout the conservation area would be continued by volunteers next year, but without the extra work behind the scenes needed to impress judges. Hopefully the local businesses will continue with their own floral displays too, to keep Sholey Bridge ‘Blooming’.
The slideshow presentation given at the meeting was taken from the photographs in the Portfolio, which had been presented to the judges when they visited in July …
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September 1, 2015
Just a reminder about the photo competition for our 2017 calendar. The flowers in the village are looking lovely at present and with the good weather forecast for the week ahead it is an opportune time for getting your cameras out and going for a walk.
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June 7, 2015
Sixteen Trust volunteers helped on Saturday morning to make a start on planting 44 tubs with summer bedding and 6 with sustainable perennials. Two new double tiered oak barrel planters have been purchased with a grant from local councillors, which have also been filled with colourful geraniums, surfinia [petunia] and lobelia.
The Council will be planting the Trust’s barrier baskets which volunteers will continue to maintain.
More plants have also been donated and purchased for the sustainable beds, which the Trust plants and maintains, on behalf of the Council.
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June 4, 2015
The Trust has started preparations for the Northumbria in Bloom summer judging in 7 weeks time. The judges will be visiting on the morning of 20 July.
50 tubs have been emptied and topped up with compost ready for planting up with summer bedding, by volunteers on Saturday morning and weeds near them have been sprayed. As an experiment, 6 of the tubs are being planted with sustainable plants that will not need to be removed twice a year. Although £100 has been allocated for this, it should save money in the long term. The Trust spends up to £500 a year on summer bedding and a similar amount on winter bedding and bulbs, as residents tell us that they prefer colourful displays. The bulbs are replanted in open spaces in the autumn.
Keeping the area free of leaves, road grit, dog dirt and litter are important judging criteria. Please help our volunteers by putting dog pooh bags and litter in the bins provided. Cigarette ends are a particular problem in the village centre, particularly outside pubs and restaurants, even though businesses provide outside bins for their customers.
Many smokers do not realise that throwing away a cigarette end is a littering offence. The County Council’s Neighbourhood Wardens are issuing fines to people doing this in a public place, as it is an offence, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Anyone dropping litter can be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £80. Thirteen people who did not pay their fines for dropping cigarette ends in County Durham were taken to Court yesterday.
More information about your local Neighbourhood Warden Team is available on the County Council website.
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October 30, 2014
Three businesses were presented with certificates and Beveridge’s vouchers today, for the quality of their hanging baskets this summer.
The Trust organised the competition as part of the village’s Northumbria in Bloom entry. Congratulations to …
Eve Fashions – Winner of the Golden Basket award
Moon Jewellery – Winner of the Hanging Basket award
Sale Pepe – Runner Up of the Hanging Basket award
[Click on images to enlarge.]
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October 24, 2014
Forty people turned out last Tuesday on a windy night to the Trust’s autumn Open Meeting in the Catholic Church Hall. Sue Shaw [secretary of the Blooming Shotley Bridge working group] gave a presentation about the work of the volunteers and the Silver Gilt award from Northumbria in Bloom. John Worters [chairman of the Trust] presented certificates and gardening vouchers for the Trust’s own front garden and business hanging basket awards. The meeting unanimously agreed to support the Trust’s entry in the village category of Northumbria in Bloom in 2015.
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Residential Front Garden Awards
Golden Gardens …
5 Riverside
20 Derwentdale
26 Snows Green Road
Gardens …
77 Snows Green Road
81 Snows Green Road
Greengarth, West Law Road
Business Hanging Basket Awards
Golden Baskets …
Adam & Eve Fashions
Baskets …
Moon Jewellery [Winner]
Sale Pepe [Runner Up]
Jeff Singleton [secretary of the Trust] gave an update on the village centre improvements being organised by the County Council and paid for with S106 funds from the housing development on the former hospital site. He also gave a slide presentation of old photographs, as an introduction to the setting up of a Heritage working group to pursue various initiatives.
Posted in Britain in Bloom, Clubs and groups, Community, Competitions, Conservation area, Environment, Event, Historic, Local businesses, Photos, Volunteers | Leave a Comment »
September 17, 2014
Congratulations to Shotley Bridge which has received a ‘Siver Gilt’ Medal in the village category of this year’s Northumbria in Bloom competition. We were awarded 10 more points than in 2013, so we need just 7 more points next year to achieve ‘Gold’ status.
Thank you to the Blooming Committee, the volunteers from the Trust, Shotley Bridge Junior School, residents and local businesses, without whose efforts this award would not have been possible.
Have a look at the judges comments and marking sheet.
Presentations for the Trust’s own garden and hanging basket awards will be made at the next Open Meeting on Tuesday 21st October.
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July 18, 2014
The local PCSOs have been into the schools regularly talking to the kids about various subjects, such as the effects of irresponsible dog owners.
They recently ran a competition with Shotley Bridge Junior School, with all the pupils designing a dog fouling poster. Two were chosen from each class as winners. All the children were keen to be involved in the posters.
Before breaking up for the summer holidays, the winners took their posters to put up near the school and around the village.
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April 4, 2014
150 pupils from Shotley Bridge Junior School were invited by the village trust to take part in an environmental poster competition again this year. Easter eggs were awarded this morning, by Sue Shaw from ‘Blooming Shotley Bridge’, to the winners of each year group.
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November 19, 2013
These awards were to be presented at the last open meeting of the Village Trust on 29th October, but the recipients were unavailable to collect their certificates and vouchers.
They have now all been presented, congratulations.
Residential category winner: Snows Green House. Runners up: Bluebell Cottage & 3 Riverside.
Business category winner: Sale Pepe. Runner up: Moon Jewellery.
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October 27, 2013
An open meeting of the Village Trust is to be held this Tuesday, 29th October 2013 at 7.30pm. The venue will be Our Lady of the Rosary Roman Catholic Church Hall on Snows Green Road.
Refreshments will be served before the meeting at 7.15pm.
All welcome.
AGENDA
Introductions and apologies
Improving the Village Centre – update
Northumbria in Bloom update and presentation of ‘Best Hanging Basket’ awards
Victorian Christmas Spectacular
Councillors’ Report
Any other business
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September 17, 2013
Today the Village Trust was awarded a Silver Gilt Medal certificate at the Northumbria in Bloom awards ceremony, held at the Stadium of Light in Sunderland.
Thank you to all the volunteers, residents, businesses and the junior school who helped us achieve this award.
The photos show John Grundy presenting the certificate to members of the Trust.
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August 26, 2013
The BBB&SB Partnership’s Fun day at the Spa today proved to be very popular and thoroughly enjoyed by all, in the glorious sunshine.
The Village Trust had various exhibitions within their gazebo and the tom-bola and treasure hunt raised £182 for the ‘Blooming’ Shotley Bridge fund. Thank you to the volunteers who helped and all who gave contributions and bought tickets.
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The winning square of the Treasure Hunt was drawn by local councillors Stephen Robinson and Peter Oliver and the prize was awarded to Jade MacGregor.
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July 18, 2013
Today, judges walked around the conservation area to score our entry in the 2013 Northumbria in Bloom competition. 80% of the total marks will be awarded following their visit [20% were awarded at their spring visit].
Scores are given in three sections with five categories in each:
Horticultural Achievement – 40% [impact, horticultural practice, residential and community gardening, business areas and premises, green spaces];
Environmental Responsibility – 20% [conservation and biodiversity, resource management,local heritage, local environmental quality, pride of place];
Community Participation – 20% [development and continuity, communication and education, community participation, year round involvement, funding and support].
The points awarded and the level of award will not be known until the presentation event in September. Hopefully we will achieve a ‘Silver Gilt’ this year.
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May 20, 2013
Volunteers are needed to help Slam Dunk the Junk in Derwent Valley
The Derwent Valley Partnership have organised two morning litter picks in the Shotley Bridge area this Wednesday [Derwent Walk] and the first Monday in June [Shotley Bridge playpark and field]. The community litter picks are being delivered as part of the Derwent Valley Partnership’s ‘Slam Dunk the Junk’ programme which also includes dog micro-chipping and educational assembly activities.
The attached poster provides full details of where and when the community litter picks will be taking place so please spread the word to your friends and neighbours – the more volunteers they have, the more rubbish can be collected. [Click on image to enlarge.]
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April 9, 2013
Today the judges from Northumbria in Bloom came to assess the Trust’s entry in the ‘village’ category. 25% of the total score is awarded at this visit. They walked around most of the Conservation Area, the area entered in the competition.
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The summer judging will take place on the 18th July.
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October 17, 2012
The Trust’s last open meeting on the 16th October was well attended for a discussion about ‘Improving the Village Centre’. Fiona Clarke and Nicola Duckworth, from the County Council explained that there was £125,000 of ‘S106’ money available, from the new Shotley Bridge Hospital housing development, that can only be spent within the ‘Article IV Area’, the core of the Conservation Area. It has to be spent by the end of 2014 on improvements to the urban realm but cannot be spent on maintenance works. The officers proposed that some of the funding could be spent on completing the repaving of the footpaths in front of the business premises and invited suggestions of other improvements from those present.
Blooming Shotley Bridge was also on the agenda, with an explanation of the scoring system for the Northumbria in Bloom ‘Silver Award’. Certificates and gardening vouchers were presented to the 3 winners of the Trust’s ‘Best Front Garden’ awards. The Trust’s volunteers will be planting the winter bedding in the tubs on Saturday 27th October.
The 2012 Dickensian Christmas Spectacular was announced, being held this year on Friday 7th and Saturday 8th December. The Shotley Bridge Business and Community Partnership are finalising the programme and leaflets will be distributed at the beginning of November. Participating businesses are each contributing £100 to fund the event. Volunteer stewards from the Village Trust are needed for both days.
The Photographic competition has had few entries this year, insufficient for the judging to go ahead. Councillor Stephen Robinson gave a report on items of interest that he had been involved with since the last meeting.
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September 11, 2012
Today, ‘Blooming Shotley Bridge’ were presented with a ‘Silver’ award in the village category of the 2012 Northumbria in Bloom competition.
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Thank you to the organising committee of the Village Trust, all the volunteers, local businesses, councillors and residents who helped make this award possible.
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Shotley Bridge Village Trust 