Washington's green-fingered gang brings home Best Village in the UK award at RHS ceremony
Washington Village has been named as the best in the UK by the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS).
Thanks to the efforts of the self-funded Washington in Bloom group, the beautiful village, perhaps the most picturesque spot in the city of Sunderland, was put forward in August as Northumbria's representative at the Britain in Bloom awards
It has now been named as overall winner, taking gold in the Village category at held at Manchester United’s Old Trafford stadium.
Washington Village was also given a certificate of Achievement in the Exceptional Public Engagement - Arts & Culture category, while chair of the group Joan Atkinson was named as a Community Champion.
Northumbria was one of 16 UK regions to be represented. Entrants from the region could not simply apply for the competition themselves; they had to be nominated by Northumbria in Bloom.
Of the 16 regions, the RHS then chose the best eight. Each category has bronze, silver and gold. The judges declared Washington as Best Village in the United Kingdom and the awards were handed over by Clare Matterson, director general of the RHS.
A delighted Joan Atkinson was one of five members of Washington in Bloom to accept the awards in Manchester
She told the Echo: "They put us in the category of Exceptional Public Engagement in the Arts and Culture award. We were given a certificate of achievement for that. That was a surprise.
"They must look at what we've done in the community. We engage with the coffee shops, the pubs, the Old Hall, the Clean and Green teams, the Friends of Washington Old Hall. We're involved with all of those. We all come together to do stuff."
Joan's status as Community Champion is well deserved. In April 2023 she was diagnosed with breast cancer, but still still turned out in the village attending to the flower beds and picking up leaves, as well as chairing the group.
She underwent four-and-a-half months of chemotherapy and 20 sessions of radiotherapy.
Asked how she is doing now, Joan replied: "I'm good. My hair's coming in; I've got more than my husband, so he's jealous.
"The Community Champion award made me cry."