Let's dig deep so town (Royal Tunbridge Wells) wins contest again By Kent and Sussex Courier Friday, July 19, 2013 By Roger Kasper [email protected] Schools, volunteers and church groups could help Tunbridge Wells win a blooming marvellous victory. After two years of triumph, Tunbridge Wells is bidding to make it a hat-trick of wins in the South and South East In Bloom competition. 1. Judges for South & South East in Bloom, Jim Buttress and Maggie Whitaker with Tunbridge Wells mayor Ronen Basu, Paul Collins (Collins Nursery) and Katharina Mahler-Bech (www.royaltunbridgewellsinbloom.org.uk) Buoyed by the success, it is branching out and hoping for national glory too. Regional judges visited Dunorlan Park on Friday (12 July 2013) and on July 29 the flowerbeds and hanging baskets around town will be inspected for Britain In Bloom. The results will be announced in September and October. Pupils from Oakley School, in Pembury Road, are digging deep to contribute to the campaign.Oakley is holder of the top school gong in the competition. It has vegetable patches, polytunnels, woodland, gardens, ponds and outside classrooms. "Outdoor learning is very important on the curriculum these days," said citizenship and horticulture teacher Ros Leach. Pupils have outdoor lessons which help puts textbook learning into its real context." Some of the school's Year 8 children were ambassadors at the judging at Dunorlan Park. Judge Jim Buttress sang their and the teachers' praises. "They are so enthusiastic about what they are doing and their teacher is a diamond," he said. And fellow judge Maggie Whitaker added: "They are the future, in continuing the work for generations to come." Mayor Ronen Basu hosted the judges. When he became civic leader he made a pledge to back the In Bloom bid. Green-shirted volunteers who can often be spotted rummaging in flower beds, planting and weeding on Mondays and Wednesdays, were delighted by his support. “He has certainly made more plants available to us," said former banker Chris Gurr, of Erskine Park Road, Rusthall. "We also get great advice from the park's head gardener Tony 'The Wizard' Ewins. Taking part in In Bloom is a real boost for all the volunteers. We love doing the job, even if it does involve plenty of weeding. But it's great to see the end product, with the park looking so nice. Often we can be working and passers-by will say how lovely things are looking." Tim Kiddell of Henham Gardens, East Peckham, also volunteers and said: "Tunbridge Wells has won twice in a row – imagine if they did it for the third time." Matthew Hogg, leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Sandhurst Road, believes his group has embraced the community spirit. "If we live here and cannot be part of the community, then we are doing something wrong," he said. "Our group helped put up bird and bat boxes in Dunorlan, and weeding in Calverley Grounds." .