A Wales in Bloom judge has commended the efforts of volunteers in Prestatyn and Meliden for their committed efforts to ensure the area looks its best.
Judge Jim Goodwin recently arrived in the area and was given a tour of both Prestatyn and Meliden by chair of the Prestatyn in Bloom Committee Dr James Davies, along with other committee members and volunteers.
Wales in Bloom is a regional event that falls under Britain in Bloom, organised each year by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). It is designed to encourage community spirit and pride. It used to be primarily a floral competition, but now it is much more community-orientated, and judges look at a variety of things, including litter, signage, graffiti and flyposting, woodlands and much more.
Mr Goodwin, who has been coming to Prestatyn to judge for well over 15 years, said on his arrival that he was pleased to return and was looking forward to seeing something “new and different".
Last year Prestatyn received Gold in the contest , coming 2nd in the ‘Large Town’ category – and missing out on 1st place by just one point!
Before his tour of the town this year, Mr Goodwin, who was approached by the RHS in 1982 to become a Wales in Bloom Judge and in 2001 was asked to be a Britain in Bloom Judge, which he did for 10 years, said:
“It is always a pleasure to visit Prestatyn which has been extremely successful in the contest in previous years.
“The town is always top of the league in Wales for the ‘Environmental’ section, so I’m very much looking forward to seeing that.
“I have been judging Prestatyn for many years now so I’m also looking forward to seeing something new and different.”
Following his tour of both Prestatyn and Meliden, which included visits to the Morfas, the railway station, the seafront, the Roman Baths and Tiny Tots, he said:
“Wales in Bloom has three distinct categories - Horticulture, Environment, and Community - and in my opinion, the key to success is to achieve a balance between the three.
“Some areas are strong in one or two areas but not all three, but Prestatyn practically strikes a balance. It is slightly weaker in the horticulture category but almost hardly worth mentioning because it’s so negligible.”
Sadly, the Judge referred to “a few negatives”, which he said could be “mostly blamed on a deterioration in Local Authority standards”.
However, he commended voluntary groups who have “stepped up” to improve the area and tackle issues such as litter, particularly in the villages.
He said:
“Litter is inexcusable in my opinion, but it is great there are volunteers who are playing an instrumental role in helping to address the issue.”
Mr Goodwin also commented that this year’s poor weather has impacted entries across the country.
He said:
“We had a cold Spring and then a rotating series of warm spells and wet spells which has meant flowers have bloomed 3-4 weeks later this year. It has not been as impactful on flowers as on vegetables though, the competitions for which this year have quite frankly been hopeless!"
Mr Goodwin said he enjoys the variety of displays he sees across the country in his judging role, as well as meeting a diverse range of people.
“It is really heartening to witness the community spirit in the towns and villages I visit. It is certainly very much evident here in Prestatyn and Meliden!”
James said:
“It is always a pleasure to welcome Jim to Prestatyn and Meliden and to provide him with a tour of the area, showcasing all the fantastic work that is carried out by Prestatyn in Bloom committee members and community volunteers.
“Prestatyn has always achieved excellent results in the contest and residents and visitors benefit greatly from all the work that is done by the many volunteers, local businesses, and community groups to ensure the area is at its best. However It is fair to say this year has been more challenging than usual for a number of reasons.
“Nevertheless, as Chair of Prestatyn in Bloom I am proud of what has been achieved and I thank everyone involved. We will now wait with bated breath for the results to be announced in September.”
