Leamington in Bloom committee says goodbye to hard working Enid

Enid Simms, who has served the committee for 16 years and has been the chair for four years, told gardeners who gathered at Leamington’s Town Hall last Friday that this was her last event.

She said that she was stepping down as chair of the committee, along with husband Gordon, to make way for younger members and to concentrate on other interests.

Mrs Simms made a plea for volunteers who wished to get involved in projects with schools and local communities and to help plan for events via the Leamington in Bloom Committee to get in touch with Leamington Town Council. The next committee meeting will be on October 6 at the town hall.

The winners of the Leamington in Bloom 2014 gardens competition (which we printed recently in the Courier) and the commercial floral displays (pubs and clubs) received their cups and certificates from the Mayor of Leamington, Cllr John Knight.

He said: “Enid has always been an active and enthusiastic member of the committee, drawing in others to take part in events and activities to publicise the Leamington in Bloom campaigns with the ultimate aim of showing Leamington at its best.

“During her time as chair, Leamington has entered Heart of England in Bloom and on each occasion the town has been awarded ‘Gold’ for its floral displays, work within the community and local schools, environmental awareness and horticultural achievements and received many favourable comments from the regional judges.

“She will be missed by members of the committee and all those who have come into contact with her in her 16 successful years of involvement with Leamington in Bloom.”

The mayor presented Mrs Simms with a bouquet of flowers from the town council, who have supported Leamington in Bloom over many years, and with a gift voucher from her friends and colleagues on the committee.

Reflecting on her time at the committee, Enid Simms mentioned, in particular, the Geranium Trains, situated in Jephson Gardens and at Leamington Station, and thanked local primary schoolchildren, members of the committee and Dorothy Clark, Friends of Leamington Station, who helped to grow, plant and maintain the trains.

Mrs Simms also mentioned Jackie Parker, a member of the Leamington in Bloom Committee who had worked tirelessly over the last 12 months with volunteers from the Healthy Living Centre in developing the ‘Secret Garden’ at the centre and the garden beds in Charles Gardener Square.

She also thanked those residents who had opened their gardens to the public on August 3 in aid of the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance. A donation of £667 was presented by the chairman of Warwick District Council, Cllr Clare Sawdon, to Mandy Dahlgren representing the Air Ambulance Service. The proceeds of the raffle held during the evening raised a further £95.