Pride of St Helens Awards 2023 - Nominees for Pride of Place award

In this week's paper (in shops now) we published a 16-page supplement profiling each of the shortlisted nominees for this year's ceremony.

Throughout this weekend and next week ahead of the event at the Totally Wicked Stadium, we will be sharing our categories of nominees with you.

Here are your nominees for Mikhail Hotel and Leisure Group Pride of St Helens Award - Pride of Place category sponsored by Swindells Roofing. 

Bold In Bloom

Bold In Bloom (Image: Submitted)

BOLD in Bloom launched in 2022 with a vision of improving the local area visually and bringing the community together for the benefit of everyone.

Benefiting from grants from places such as Arnold Clarke, they have been able purchase planters to be placed around the area in Bold. The team has received help from the local com[1]munity, businesses and even from local farmers. They have also built planters from wood donated by local businesses.

 The Bold in Bloom team help and encourage those who may be lonely or suffer from mental health issues to get out into a friendly and welcoming environment doing work that benefits the wider community.

They have also worked with Torus housing to take on projects on land owned by Torus in a bid to mitigate cuts in spending, again helping the community, especially those in social housing.

In Bold in Bloom’s nomination, it was said: “With lots more planned and more volunteers joining every week it is great to see a group of people working selflessly for the benefit of the whole community, they certainly have pride of place and I hope they could be recognised for the fantastic work they are doing.”

David J Platt Landscapes

David J Platt Landscapes (Image: Submitted)

THE team of gardeners has worked tirelessly to keep the St Helens and Whiston hospitals sites blooming.

David J Platt Landscapes has provided gardening services to both hospital sites for more than 30 years and proved themselves consistently to be the best of the bunch, with a host of national awards for their efforts to make the environment as welcoming as it can be all year round.

From special cricket-themed exhibitions in the summer to the vital work of clearing the roads of snow for staff and patients in the winter, nothing is too much to ask.

David, son Michael and the entire team were even recognised for their commitment to the NHS with a prestigious Special Recognition Award at the hospital annual awards this year, attended by more than 1,000 local NHS workers. David was presented with the award by chief executive of Mersey and West Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, Ann Marr OBE. She said: “Year-on-year David’s team provides the most beautiful surroundings for our patients and staff.

For more than 30 years they have created imaginative vibrant gardens that raise a smile on even the darkest of days, which is so important”.

That award was something company founder, David Platt, described as “the best”.

Sutton Wombles

Sutton Wombles (Image: Submitted)

FORMED during the Covid lockdowns back in 2020, Sutton Wombles are a group of volunteers who litter pick around the dams, parks, and streets of the area on a weekly basis. The group holds litter picks to help people take pride in their local area.

Sutton Wombles are a team of committed volunteers who give up their own time to restore pride back into the village. They have put in many hours of graft and are not deterred, even when the litter slowly reappears again.

The group has continued in its mission, even in the face of adversity such as one time last year when, after spending two hours cleaning the area around Sutton Mill Dam, they were later informed that the rubbish bags they left by a council bin had been emptied back on to the floor.

Similar incidents have happened before and a rubbish collection has even been set on fire. However, the Wombles remain dedicated to their work and have become a much appreciated and valued part of the local community, setting an example of how to take pride in your area. In their nomination, it was said Sutton Wombles “go out in all weathers in the area litter picking and generally making everywhere clean safe and tidy”.