Penwortham in Bloom winners

Penwortham Priory Academy’s gardener Mr Farron is again celebrating blooming success.

The school has won first place in the Best Community Area/Community Space category at Penwortham in Bloom 2018 – it’s the second time we’ve have entered this category and the second time we’ve won it.  We were also highly commended in the Schools Challenge Category.

Mr Farron has transformed Priory over his four years working at Priory, turning unused areas into a herbaceous garden, a Mediterranean garden, a memorial garden and more.

“We have entered Penwortham in Bloom twice,” said Mr Farron.  “In 2016 we went through to the Regional competition and then the North West competition and won the Royal Horticultural Society’s Britain in Bloom North West Environmental Award for Schools – the first time a school in South Ribble had won the title.

“I am proud to win the Community Area again as this is the main one for me. We won it in 2016 and then had to take a break last year because of the building work at the school but we wanted to have another go this year. 

“We have further developed areas around the school and they are open to the public in spring and summer.  I have little helpers from the school in the morning and they are learning about botany and such like while the teachers have said the gardens do have a calming effect on the children.

“I started at Priory as a volunteer when I retired doing a few hours a week and now I probably do around 20 hours a week. I love it, the headteacher Mr Eastham is enthusiastic about it and the school is benefiting.

“To win awards is a huge honour, it brings Priory to the front and I have heard people coming into reception talking about Priory as ‘the school with the lovely gardens’ and wanting to look around which I take a lot of pride in.”