Barford residents celebrate award-winning allotments

The residents in Barford celebrated the village's allotment successes with a special prize giving ceremony last week.

The joint Parish Council Allotments decided to organise a 'best kept allotment' competition to recognize and celebrate the efforts that people had put in this year.

Awards were presented last Friday (September 11) by Cllr Andrew Day, Leader of Warwick District Council.

The overall winner was Mr Eugene Kennedy who was presented with his name engraved on the ‘challenge shield’.

Prizes, which included certificates, cream teas and vouchers were donated by Charlecote Garden Centre.

Roger Clay from the Joint Parish Council Allotments said: “The allotments have thrived this year possibly due to the extra time people have had to devote to their plots.

"Allotment Holder, Carl Aspinwall, suggested that a ‘best kept allotment’ competition should be held to recognize the great efforts that had been put into their cultivation and we’re delighted to have announced so many deserved winners”.

Andrew Day, Leader of Warwick District Council said: “I was delighted to be asked to present these awards.

"Allotments are extremely good for the environment and are much more sustainable.

"Growing your own food locally significantly reduces our carbon footprint, as the food you grow involves less packaging and transportation than the shop bought equivalent”.

Marie-Jane Roberts, formerly of Sherbourne Nurseries, acted as the judge and used the standard criteria for judging as recommended by the Royal Horticultural Society.

Features considered included general tidiness; land utilization; evidence of good cropping; variety of crops; succession planting; intermittent planting; state of pathways and durability of support structures.