Gold Again!!!

For the second year running the Parish Council achieved a Gold Award in the South & South East in Bloom. When awarding the Parish 90 out of a maximum 100 points.

The Judge in his report, found Wilmington to be clean, tidy and maintained to a high standard and in making a special mention for Mark, the Parish Groundsman, he said that he found it hard to believe that one person oversaw most of the maintenance.

The Judge noted that the Rose Garden was maintained by volunteers, that hanging flower baskets adorned many of the streetlight columns adorn and that planted troughs welcomed visitors to Wilmington. The local community mirrored the standard achieved by the Council as many front gardens were colourful and well maintained.

As he toured the Parish the Judge was pleased to see very little graffiti, dog fouling and litter or evidence of anti-social behaviour.

Focusing on Oakfield Park the Judge noted that the Park provided facilities for Dartford Cricket Club, Dartford Royals Football Club and the local community, including Oakfield Community Primary School who use it for their Sport Day. The Judge visited the Ann Allen Allotment Garden where he was pleased to see that one of the Plots was worked by children from St Michael's Pre-School Playgroup. He also saw that composting was encouraged, that sheds or other similar structures had guttering to harvest water and that there were bird and bat boxes installed among the surrounding trees.

In the Park itself the Judge commented on the number of many mature trees along its edges and was pleased that tree contractors were undertaking necessary work on them. The Judge was advised that the recent planting of apple trees and the creation of the wild flower area was funded by a Grant from the Queens Canopy Fund. The Judge found the Chestnut Grove and Wilmington Common, consistent with other areas of Wilmington, to be well maintained.

The Judge concluded his Report by saying that Mark, the Council and the community as a whole should be very pleased and proud with the high standards of maintenance achieved.

The Judge did mention a number of actions that could be taken to assist the ecology and biodiversity and these will be considered at the December Meeting of the Council.