Appley Park has won a prestigious prize Silver Gilt at the South and South East England in Bloom Awards.
In the large park category, Appley Park was awarded a silver gilt medal certificate. It was one of four winners on the Island. Puckpool Park, Ryde was awarded a silver medal certificate. In the small park category, the Cascades, Ventnor was awarded a silver medal certificate. As well as being park of the year, Ventnor Park also received a gold medal certificate.
The council’s parks manager, Nigel Leppard, together with the Island manager for the council’s grounds maintenance contractor John O’Conner Ltd, Stan Hayden, received the awards on behalf of the council. The park is maintained by John O’Conner Ltd via its partnership contract with the Isle of Wight Council.
The awards at the event were presented by South and South East England in Bloom chairman, Peter Holman, Jim Buttress from the BBC’s The Big Allotment Challenge, and Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins.
The judges this year described Appley as “a well managed park and a credit to those who care for it and support it, which has the potential to reach ‘Gold Standard'”.
The judges also paid tribute to the Friends of Appley, saying “Public engagement with the park continues to grow and will increase with the recent launch of a Friends group for the park, an initiative which is to be applauded”.
Stan Hayden (John O’Conner) and Nigel Leppard (IW Council) pick up the awards