Green fingered youngsters hit the heights in Leeds in Bloom awards

Youngsters with a flair and passion for gardening and creative design have been honoured this month in the 2015 Leeds in Bloom Awards.

As part of a special ceremony held this month, 10 winners in the aged 4-16 design an Edible Flowerbed and Flowerbed categories gathered at Leeds Civic Hall to be congratulated for their fantastic efforts by receiving a special certificate from Cllrs Debra Coupar and Jack Dunn and £300 of Leeds City Council parks and countryside nursery gift vouchers to spend in their respective school gardens.

Work will now begin by the council’s parks and countryside team on bringing to life each of the designs, which when completed are set to be showcased in the city centre.

The four winners in the Edible Flowerbed competition were: Lewis Fothergill aged 8 and Ruby Sheldon from Hill Top Primary School, Callum Sykes aged 5 from Drighlington Primary School and

Harvey Crompton aged 7 of Tranmere Park Primary School.

Triumphing in the Flowerbed competition were: Joshua Hutchinson aged 9 of Lawns Park Primary School, Kara Myers age 10 of Rufford Park Primary School, Melissa Darcy aged 9 of Kippax Greenfield Primary School, Fatima Hussein aged 10 of Ireland Wood Primary School, Jasmine Duncan aged 7 of Pool Cof E Primary School and Jasmine Chetham aged 9 from West End Primary School.

Leeds City Council’s executive board member for communities Cllr Debra Coupar said:

“We are extremely fortunate to have a thriving Leeds in Bloom network, and it is brilliant through initiatives such as this one that there is also the opportunity for young people to display their considerable talents.

“The interest and enthusiasm that they showed really was exceptional, and let’s hope many of the young people who took part will be inspired to get involved in other Leeds in Bloom and green initiatives in the future.”

Leeds City Council’s lead member for parks and countryside Cllr Jack Dunn said:

“The entries that we received from young people in both our Edible Flowerbed and Flowerbed Leeds in Bloom competitions really were of the highest quality, and it was extremely difficult for the judges to whittle it down to just 10 winners.

“It was fantastic to be able to meet all of the winners at the civic hall and be able to present them with a certificate and vouchers for their schools as a reward for their brilliant work. We are really looking forward to seeing their designs on display later in the year.”

For media enquiries, please contact;

Colin Dickinson,

Leeds City Council press office

(0113) 39 51578

Email: colin.dickinson@leeds.gov.uk