They’re great outdoors!

UP for the cup . . . Olive Armstrong receives her FCHO prize from Clive Newton

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WITH a sense of excitement and anticipation, some of Oldham’s keenest gardeners gathered at the Queen Elizabeth Hall.

The event was the annual Gardens and Allotments Contest, jointly run by First Choice Homes Oldham (FCHO) and Oldham Council.

Harry Burns, chairman of FCHO, described the quality of entries as excellent and said contestants had made a magnificent effort.

A keen gardener himself, Harry added: “It was a difficult summer for gardens and it was wonderful to see how much pride people had taken — it was a real credit to them.”

The competition, in its 35th year, is for FCHO tenants and anyone who bought their council homes under the ‘right-to-buy’ scheme, as well as those who care for allotments managed by the council.

James Dyson, from Fernhurst allotments, won the Oldham Chronicle Cup, one of only four coveted trophies handed out to the best allotmenteers each year. Ian Kershaw, from Werneth Park allotments, was runner up.

The Shannon Trophy went to Oakbank allotments, and the Oldham Corporation Cup was won by Hope Street allotments. The most improved site shield went to Philimore Street allotments. In the gardens section, Olive Armstrong won the Emmanuel Whittaker Cup, provided by the main FCHO sponsors, for her garden in Byland Avenue, Roundthorn, which also won her the prize for Alt and Roundthorn.

Runners up were Mr and Mrs Wilson, of Urmston Street, Hathershaw and Joyce Barton, of Whitstable Close, Chadderton.

Area winners were six-year-old Erin Murphy and her aunt, Christine Harrison, of Longfellow Crescent, Sholver; John Kenway of Potter House, Eldon Street (town centre, Primrose and Eldon Street); J Andrew, of Lewisham Close (Shaw and Royton); Mr and Mrs Wilson, of Urmston Street (Bardsley and Hathershaw); Joyce Barton, of Whitstable Close (Chadderton and Werneth); Jean Yates, of Beech Avenue (Derker and Higginshaw); Sheila Crawshaw, of Cattlin Way (Failsworth and Hollins); Peter Platt, of Wildmoor Avenue (Holts, Glodwick and Lees); Sheila Cronley, of Beech Avenue (Saddleworth); Patricia Healey, of Wimpenny House (basket and container); and Tavern Court residents won the communal area prize.