15 July 2015

Please note: this news article is in our archive. Articles were correct at time of publication, but should not be relied on for accuracy after the passage of time.

JUDGEMENT Day for the East Grinstead in Bloom Committee was on Tuesday when judges Barry Newman and Ruth Growney arrived in town to form a verdict.

They were welcomed at East Court by Mayor Dick Sweatman and Chairman of the committee Cllr Julie Mockford, and over a coffee the judges were introduced to the many residents involved with getting the town looking at its best this summer.

Following a presentation by Julie in the Council Chamber, the judges toured the town to look at some of the work carried out by the Bloom Committee and local residents.

Their itinerary included:

• The East Court Terrace and war memorial garden, where they were  shown round by Jenny Watson the East Grinstead Town Council gardener
• Sackville College where College Gardener Stephen Pearson did the honours
• The McIndoe statue, shown by Julie Mockford and EG in Bloom secretary Samantha Baldery
• St Swithun’s churchyard where their visit was conducted by Graham and Janet Everest, and Christine Armstrong. The work of the Guides was shown by Janet Templeman (Division Commissioner) and Deborah Mathews (1st East Grinstead Guides). St Swithun’s has also been entered in the “Best Churchyard of the Year” category)
• High Street.  Shown round by Jenny Watson and Simon Kerr the Town Tourism Officer
• East Grinstead Millennium Garden. Shown by Ken Averill of the Town Twinning Association
• Brook Close – to view the winner of last year’s “best front garden competition”
• Queen Victoria Hospital. Shown by Head Gardener John Hobden and gardener Kevin Tyrell
• Compass Garden Mount Noddy
• Mount Noddy Allotments – shown round by Alan Rumsdan, Chair of Mount Noddy Allotments.  These allotments have also been entered into a separate “Allotment Award”
• East Grinstead Station – shown by Gaurav Sachdeva, the Station Manager
• Bluebell railway Station flower beds – shown by Tim Baker,  Commercial Director of the Bluebell Railway
• Windmill Lane Community Gardens Project – shown by Lucy Doyle, resident
• Lingfield Road Recreation Ground Schools Garden – shown by Noreen Daw, Imberhorne School
• Imberhorne Lower School

[AFG_gallery id=’42’]