Villagers encouraged by bloom squad volunteers (From Ilkley Gazette)

Villagers encouraged by bloom squad volunteers

9:10am Tuesday 24th April 2012 in Local news By Jim Jack

Bramhope was looking its best as Yorkshire in Bloom judges were welcomed.

The village was awash with colour from hanging baskets, floral displays and flowers lining the verges.

The Bramhope in Bloom group was reformed in 2009 after folding in the 1990s, and since then it has gone from strength to strength – encouraging the whole community, including school children and scouts, to take part in efforts to make the village a beautiful place to live.

Last year the village picked up a silver and a silver gilt and organisers are hoping for further success this year. Members of the 11-strong team met the judges and took them on a tour of the village.

But one person missing from the tour was the founder of the new group Margaret Nichells, who died last year.

Group secretary and treasurer Janet Hobson said Margaret had always spurred the group on. Now a memorial to her has been placed in one of the beds.

She said: “The aim of Bramhope in Bloom is not just getting a trophy but it is to make Bramhope a lovelier place for the residents to live. We try to do every part of the village even if it is not on the judging route.

“The Scouts have been wonderful. They planted 3,000 daffodils on the banking in front of the puritan chapel. And 3,000 more have been put on the Moor Road. The group’s oldest member is 90-year-old Doug Botham, who still enjoys helping out along with his wife Corinne, 82.

“He is our main sweeper,” Corinne said. “They even put a super sweeper on his 90th birthday cake.”

Just over an hour before the judges were due to arrive on Tuesday a last-minute touch was put in place with the arrival of a new trough. The new cut-price addition was supplied by Natural Stone who last year supplied a trough for free on Breary Lane East.

Otley in Bloom members are keeping their green fingers crossed after a visit from Spring judges this week. The Yorkshire in Bloom competition judges were given a tour of the town’s highlights which included visits to The Whartons Primary School and Wharfemeadows Park. The visitors were also shown around the West Chevin Road allotments before being treated to a concluding lunch at Otley Methodist Church. Otley celebrated being named a Silver Gilt winner in the Town category of the 2011 Yorkshire in Bloom competition.