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Malcolm returns to winners' platform
A green-fingered train driver is blooming with pride after scooping the top prize in a town's horticultural contest.
Malcolm Smith of New Whittington, was best overall winner at the third Chesterfield in Bloom Awards – a title he also gained in 2005 – and triumphed in the best front garden and best container categories.
The gardening enthusiast was runner-up in the best basket contest and was involved in Caxton Close's second place entry for best residential street.
Mr Smith (60) said: "I was overwhelmed. It's a big honour, especially considering the competition, and such a joy to think I've excelled in that field."
Last year's overall winner Spire Infants School again won two of the categories – best school garden and best school environmental/
wildlife garden.
The Chesterfield Borough Council awards proved tough work for the judges, with 115 entries in 14 categories.
A spokesman said: "It was a very tight contest, with both our previous winners again having strong claims to the title as well as some new contenders. But in the end we agreed that Malcolm was a deserving winner."
In Bloom awards photo album
Thousands of pounds worth of prizes were handed out at a glittering ceremony in the Winding Wheel.
Chesterfield in Bloom is sponsored by the Derbyshire Times with individual categories backed by several local companies.
Derbyshire Times editor Mike Wilson said: "We are pleased to be associated with a competition which has really captured the imagination of all sections of the community."
The most popular categories were best front and back gardens, school gardens and pubs or restaurants.
Cllr Ian Openshaw, the borough council's environment chief, said: "This competition goes from strength to strength. We were thrilled with the response when the competition was launched two years ago, last year was better and despite this summer's awful weather, this time round it has been better still.
"Once again, all sections of the community in Chesterfield have responded with great enthusiasm and the big bonus is that the town looks so much more beautiful as a result."
* Plans are already underway for Chesterfield in Bloom 2008 and any companies or organisations interested in supporting the awards should contact Richard Stephen on 01246 345100 or richard.stephen@chesterfield.gov.uk.
jennifer.ivers@derbyshiretime.sco.uk
All the results
Overall winner (sponsored by Fredericks of Chesterfield) — Malcolm Smith
Best hanging basket (Unstone Plant Centre) — 1 Sharon Thomas, 2 Malcolm Smith, 3 Margaret Bailey.
Best container — 1 Malcolm Smith, 2 Margaret Wright, joint 3 Shirley Niblock/ Markham Court (Irene Simovic).
Best back barden up to 80m sq (Fredericks of Chesterfield) — 1 Steve Moore, 2 Richard and Sharon Smithson, 3 Graham Bell. Highly Commended — John Morley.
Best back garden larger than 80m sq — 1 Wendy Taylor, 2 Marie Bonynge, 3 Janice Addison
Best front garden (Stagecoach) — 1 Malcolm Smith, 2 Margaret and Stephen Wright, 3 Frank and Kathleen Rowley.
Allotments: best plot (ATV Contract Services) — 1 Michael Styles, 2 Stephen Turner, joint 3 David Parson/John Hawley. Best site — 1 John Brunt, 2 Kathleen Rhodes, 3 Michael Hayward.
Best residential street — 1 Tore Kolstad, Chatsworth Road, 2 Malcolm Smith, Caxton Close, 3, Brian Kay, Hady Lane.
Best pub/restaurant (R. Hicks & Sons Wholesale) — 1 Buckingham's Hotel and Restaurant, 2 Ringwood Hall Hotel, 3 Barley Mow.
Best place of work (Tingle Marketing) — 1 Ringwood Hall Hotel, 2 Sure Start, 3 Hasland Hall Community School.
Best market stall (Cleanaway) — 1 Pauline and Stewart Kay, 2 Mark Brookes, 3 Susan Walker.
Schools
Best garden (Killingley Landscapes) — 1 Spire Infant, 2 Hasland Hall Community, 3 Mary Swanick Youth Club.
Best environmental garden (Fitzwise Ltd) — 1 Spire Infant, 2 Hasland Infant, 3 Brampton Primary.
Best basket — 1 Brockwell Nursery and Infant, 2 Cavendish Junior, 3 St Peter and Paul.
Highly Commended Certificates — Brampton Primary and Inkersall Primary.
Painting competition: Reception-Year 2 (Champion Hire) — 1 Lois Ward, Calow Primary, 2 Olivia Mitchell-Bent, Brampton Primary, 3 Alicia Raybould, Poolsbrook Primary.
Year 3-Year 6 (Wildgoose Construction) — 1 Samuel Marples, Woodthorpe Primary, 2 Daniel Ward, Woodthorpe Primary, 3 Courtenay Rothwell, Brampton Primary.
Secondary School Design Competition — Brookfield Community School, Bethany Fletcher, Samantha Duszczak, Hayley Kelly, Rachel Stuart.
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Weather for Chesterfield
Thursday 24 May 2012
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