We’ve announced our 2022 gardening competition winners!

After it’s huge success in 2021, we ran our second gardening competition earlier this year. We invited residents from across our communities to share their green spaces for the chance to win up to £50.

There were four categories to enter: nicest individual garden, best plant display, nicest communal garden and best allotment or vegetable patch.

Residents entered from across our properties and schemes, including Stafford, Newcastle-under-Lyme and Sandbach!

Resident Morris, from the Hollies in Newcastle-under-Lyme, scooped an award for his prize-worthy allotment that he shares with his partner Doreen.

“Our allotment is filled with a mix of flowers as well as fruit, vegetables and trees”, said Morris.

“We have lots of vegetables like peas, sweetcorn, courgettes, leeks, potato’s and lettuce. We have a range of autumn berries, apples and pears too.

Morris explained that his allotment has been a ‘safe haven’ for him over the last few years.

“I’ve had my allotment for over 15 years and it’s helped me through some tough times.

“I’m a cancer survivor and when I was going through treatment, I’d go out there to be at one with nature and enjoy the sounds. It helped me to forget about the rest of the world for a minute.

“It’s wonderful to win the gardening competition. I’m chuffed that Staffs Housing have recognised my green space especially when it means so much to me.”

Our Housing Team launched the gardening competition to bring communities together and promote the benefits of being outside for resident’s mental health.

Laura and gardening supervisor Mark, gardening as part of a community project earlier this year.

Housing Manager Laura Dalton explained more. “We launched our gardening competition because I personally enjoy gardening and the benefit it’s had on my own mental wellbeing.

“I knew there were green-fingered residents like me, so I launched the competition to celebrate their amazing spaces, as well as to promote the positive impact gardening has.

“I’m so pleased to celebrate our winners this year, like Morris, who’s green space has clearly made a big difference to his life.”

Our 2022 winners and runners-up have now been contacted. If you didn’t win this year don’t worry, we’ll be launching our 2023 competition next summer.

In the meantime click here to stay up-to-date with our latest news www.staffshousing.org.uk/news