Tenants showcase their gardening and creative talents at annual competition

Published: Thu 12th September, 2024

  • Photos shows all the winners at the 2024 tenant garden and creative competitions awards presentation at Loughborough Town Hall on Thursday, 12 September 2024.

Council tenants from across the borough are celebrating their awards following an annual garden competition.

The tenant garden competition, which is run by Charnwood Borough Council, saw over 40 entries across 10 different categories, and showcased gardens of all shapes and sizes.

Special recognition awards were also handed out to a number of council tenants for their long-term commitment to their gardens and their communities at large.

The gardens were judged by councillors Jennifer Tillotson and Anne Gray for the second year in a row, and both were impressed by the stunning gardens on display, and how the strong sense of community and pride shines through in each entry.

High street vouchers were awarded to the winners and runners-up during the event at Loughborough Town Hall on Thursday, 12 September.

This year there was a twist to the awards event. Earlier in the year, a new competition was launched within Your Homes Matter, the council’s magazine for council tenants which is delivered with rent statements four times a year.

The creative competition asked for tenants of all ages to send in their best creative works – from photography, arts and crafts, creative writing and more.

With high street vouchers up for grabs to the winners, the competition received some fantastic entries, from paintings of the lily pond at Watermead County Park in Syston to poems and short stories.

The awards were handed out by the Mayor of Charnwood, Councillor Dr Julie Bradshaw MBE.

Councillor Colin Hamilton, lead member for planning and housing, judged the creative competition and attended the event. He said: “Thank you to all entrants of both competitions for taking part and sharing your talents and hard work with us. You should all feel proud of your achievements.

“Our annual gardening competition has been held for 15 years and it never ceases to amaze me the results achieved through the dedication and hard work of our tenants to make their gardens and communities look so special.

“Our first ever creative competition awards, launched in our tenant magazine, is a new addition but the quality of the works submitted was outstanding. We hope that other tenants will be inspired by the works submitted and this competition will grow, just like the gardening competition has.

“Congratulations to all the award winners and thank you to everyone who entered the competition. We look forward to receiving your applications next year.”

The winners for 2024 were:

Tenant garden competition

Best House or Flat Garden

  • First place – Mr Mick Pipes
  • Second place – Mr Miles
  • Third place – Alexander Wallace

Best Pots and hanging baskets

  • First place – Sandra Rabjohns
  • Second place – Robert Kirk
  • Joint third place – Vera Zahan and Eddie McGovern

Best Community Garden

  • First place – Graham Barradell
  • Second place – Mrs Jeanette Harratt and Anthony Goddard
  • Third place – Chapman Street Garden Association and Freehold Street

Best Sheltered Court

  • First place – Beresford Court
  • Second place – Babington Court
  • Third place – Riversdale Court

Best Fruit and Vegetable/Edible Garden

  • First place – Dawn Twist
  • Second place – Robert Kirk
  • Third place – Corinne Stretton

Best Newcomer

  • First Place – Tina Salt (Rene)
  • Second place – Dawn Twist
  • Joint third place – David Clark and Catherine Mackley

Best Young Gardener

  • First place – Corinne Stretton

Best Flower Display

  • First place – Debbie Newton
  • Second place – Georgina Gebski
  • Third place – June Letten

Best Eco Garden

  • First place – Mr P Dews
  • Second place – Sarah Salmon
  • Third place – Shirley Elliott, Riversdale Court, Birstall

Best use of small space

  • Derek Hay

Special award of recognition

  • Mick Pipes

Recognition Awards

  • George Hudson Bennett
  • Doreen Pryor
  • Carol Merryweather
  • Jenny Burton
  • Kevin Curtis
  • Mr and Mrs Reeves
  • June Bush (Thorpe Acre Community Association)
  • Jemma Kelly

Creative competition

Photography, arts and crafts (over 18 years)

  • First place – Joy Braker
  • Second place – Mike Clooney

Creative writing (over 18 years)

  • First place – John Mason
  • Second place - Bernadette Gibson

Photography, arts and crafts (11-18 years)

  • First place – Finlay Davies

Photography, arts and crafts (under 10 years)

  • First place – Marley Maksymiw