Milton Keynes' most green-fingered town aims to excel in Britain in Bloom competition yet again

Green-fingered volunteers in Stony Stratford are working at “crazy hours” to make their town look beautiful for the national Britain in Bloom contest.

Every year since 2016, the town has never failed to win a gold in the prestigious competition.

This is thanks to a dedicated bunch called Stony Stratford in Bloom, who give their time for free to plant, weed, dead-head, clean and pick up litter to make everywhere look perfect.

The main judging for this year’s contest is on July 4 and a special ‘community tidy day was held last weekend to attack every nook and cranny with buckets, sponges, trowels and brushes.

On the morning of the judging, volunteers will once again be out in force to scour the streets for cigarette butts, crisp packets and stray weeds that have popped up overnight.

Stony Stratford in Bloom chair Judith Deveson told the Citizen: “Every time is a busy time in the horticultural year, but in the fortnight before Britain in Bloom Judging Day volunteers can be seen around the town at crazy hours to make sure the place looks its best.”

The Fullers Slade and Galley Hill It’s Your Neighbourhood Groups had their Britain in Bloom assessments on Monday this week, and York House Community Gardens and the North End Pond and Wildlife Area were due to have theirs today (Thursday).

"We feel sure that it’s because of all these community groups that Stony Stratford has done well in the competition over the years,” said Judith.

"It would be wonderful to gain Gold yet again – but much more important to us is that we feel that the town is ablaze with colour.

"The vegetables we’re growing in York House Community Gardens are flourishing and already producing produce for the Wolverton King’s Foodbank and the Fullers Slade Foodbank, and the wildlife areas are attracting the bees and insects, which are vital for the environment.

"So many comments from passers-by and on our Facebook Page have told us how much our efforts are appreciated by residents and visitors alike.”

At St Mary and St Giles school’s North and South sites, enthusiastic pupils are growing food for the Foodbank in schooltime gardening sessions. At both the school’s sites the special Spirituality Gardens designed by pupils have been planted up and are looking beautiful, said Judith.

But this year’s preparation have a poignant side, following the death of one of the town’s hardest working volunteers.

“As we’ve been gardening this week, we’ve been remembering with great fondness Yvette Dalal, who was a stalwart of Stony in Bloom since she came to live in the town ten years ago, and who died aged 88 on June 4,” said Judith.

She added: "Until a fall she had a couple of years ago, Yvette never missed a work party. And soon after she came out of hospital she arrived at the work party with her arm in a sling, determined to weed with the other arm.

"We miss her greatly.”