I heard tonight that Sheffield had won the Entente Floral competition.
That's great news!

Its about time our beloved city had some decent press instead of being labelled 'the cheapest place for drugs'

Well done us :thumbsup:

woohoo... :clap: think that Sheffield has looked absolutly fantastic recently with all the plantings.

Well done Sheffield, and all the people that put in the time and effort required.

it's been looking alot better with all those hanging baskets and stuff... and the parks seem to be back to their glory days!

:)

:clap: I have two hanging baskets outside my house and an old butler sink full of flowers by my back door. No doubt this impressive display helped to clinch it! :thumbsup:

yes my auntie is a gardener for the council at least they get something right wonder how much this cost though

Well done Sheffield. I'm not a Sheffielder by birth, but I've moved here, out of choice, after working in the city for several years. I think the floral displays are great - love the figures outside the town hall, and the planting around the Peace Gardens is beautiful. :partyhat:

Originally posted by pete_fcs
it's been looking alot better with all those hanging baskets and stuff... and the parks seem to be back to their glory days!

:)

Depends which parks you went into. Try taking a walk in Richmond Park and see if you still have the same opinion.

It's a fiddle:suspect:

awww! don't say that, Mo, just try to glad that we won ... maybe it'll be Richmond Park's turn to get a makeover next year :) Start campaigning now!

Congratulations to the gardeners and designers ... good job. :clap:

Shopkeepers in Woodseats Shopping Centre paid for hanging baskets on all the lampposts, so maybe it wasn't just your display that clinched matters, Reginald:D ... not if the judges came into Sheffield from the South :D

Originally posted by Mo


It's a fiddle:suspect:

Methinks a bit of jealousy and/or sour grapes from our Derbyshire neighbour. Never mind Mo, perhaps we'll stop coming out and knicking your flowers until the next competition.

Well done Sheffield. :clap: :clap:

:clap: Well done to all who kept Sheffield looking so amazing with all the flowers around the city! :clap:

It really needed some appreciation - and its great to hear Sheffield is the nicest city florally! great news!:thumbsup: :clap:

Well done SCC !

Perhaps we could now have a competition for the best road surfaces and cycle-ways ? :P

Originally posted by Greybeard
Well done SCC !

Perhaps we could now have a competition for the best road surfaces and cycle-ways ? :P

There always has to be a sting in the tail doesn't there :rolleyes:

Originally posted by rubydazzler
There always has to be a sting in the tail doesn't there :rolleyes:

It was just a gentle dig ;)

In fact the city centre was quite transformed by all the flowers.

Has this news been confirmed anywhere yet?

I would have expected something on the national newspapers websites by now.

:clap: For Sheffield!

And many thanks to DAVE MAY and crew, who made this possible.
Seen them working tirelessly round the clock, with their little yellow trucks, planting, watering to make this city brilliant.
Norton Nurseries, sheff city council you've done us proud.

:clap: :clap: :clap:

Originally posted by ANGELUS
Its about time our beloved city had some decent press instead of being labelled 'the cheapest place for drugs'

Well done us :thumbsup:

Cheap drugs AND flowers - Hippy capital of the world!

San Fransisco eat your heart out :hihi:


Yes well done all you hard working council people.

That's great news, and I hope it means that next year we'll get flowers everywhere again, as they made a huge difference to town this year. It's amazing how something as simple as hanging baskets can brighten the place up so much!

I particularly liked how they hung flower baskets off the railings on some of the major roads, giving the effect of lines of colour leading off into the distance, and they put the displays all over the city which was great.

Originally posted by cgksheff
Has this news been confirmed anywhere yet?

I would have expected something on the national newspapers websites by now.

It was only announced late on Friday evening so the council's web site hasn't been updated yet. Perhaps this explains the somewhat low key report in last night's Star. I'm aware there are two gold medals that are to 'awarded' to the two figures outside the Town Hall - possibly already in place - in recognition of the City's sucess. Maybe this will attract increased media interest.

Incidentally, the competition is about more than just flowers. The judges were impressed with the regeneration taking place across the City and visited a range of sites including Botanical Gardens, Cholera Monument, Meadowhall, Sheffield University, Norfolk Heritage Park, Ecclesall Woods and a junior school as well as the City Centre. They even took a ride on a tram from the University back to the Cathederal.

To echo the comments of earlier posts, everyone involved deserves a huge thank you on behalf of the City. A fantastic result.

Originally posted by bglodge
I'm aware there are two gold medals that are to 'awarded' to the two figures outside the Town Hall - possibly already in place

The two figures mentioned are currently wearing gold sashes saying something like gold medal winners

Originally posted by bglodge
They even took a ride on a tram from the University back to the Cathedral.


And a helicopter flight over the leafy southern suburbs to the Derbyshire border from Norfolk Park

I do think our city's looking good with all the floral displays, and in particular the figures outside the town hall.

If you go to Doncaster, they have those kind of figures on all their roundabouts - they've got trains made out of flowers, rugy players, ships and all sorts. It would be nice if we could have a few more floral scupltures.

Originally posted by bglodge
It was only announced late on Friday evening so the council's web site hasn't been updated yet. Perhaps this explains the somewhat low key report in last night's Star. I'm aware there are two gold medals that are to 'awarded' to the two figures outside the Town Hall - possibly already in place - in recognition of the City's sucess. Maybe this will attract increased media interest.

Incidentally, the competition is about more than just flowers. The judges were impressed with the regeneration taking place across the City and visited a range of sites including Botanical Gardens, Cholera Monument, Meadowhall, Sheffield University, Norfolk Heritage Park, Ecclesall Woods and a junior school as well as the City Centre. They even took a ride on a tram from the University back to the Cathederal.

To echo the comments of earlier posts, everyone involved deserves a huge thank you on behalf of the City. A fantastic result.

Delighted to know that Norfolk Heritage Park played a part in this marvellous European award the City has gained. :thumbsup:

And I too wish to echo the thanks to all concerned, including Parks staff, and the business people in Woodseats (see Rubydazzler's post). Well done everyone! :clap:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/south_yorkshire/4237712.stm

And on Sheffield Council's site:

http://www.sheffield.gov.uk/index.asp?pgid=1912

Well done Sheffield! Had it not been for this forum though, I'd never have known. I haven't seen anything about it on either local or national TV news. I wonder what would've happened if Leeds had been entered and won?....

Glad to hear as i was waiting for the news. Congratulatuions to all including Nick & Melvin who i know as well as other put a lot of effort into Sheffields (UK) entry

Im happy for sheffield to win this but.... i do think its a bit of a fix.. you can quite easy walk someone round all the best bits of any city and make things look good.... but i do think its a false picture of our not so green city.... what beautiful parks? i live near 4 large parks and theres only 1 of those id let my dogs s@@t it in never mind let the kids play... i know some people like what the council has done to win this but im sorry to say im a "grouch" on this..... a few flowers on the rounderbout just dont do it for me..... the parts of sheffield i see are filthy, and the council comes once a year to cut the grass.....etc....
entente florale - sheffield??? :suspect:

you can hate me now...:rolleyes:

I see it this way, im only 35 so my childhood is not that long ago:suspect: when i went to the park to play, not only my local park but any park in sheffield ... the park was clean, well looked after and had some where safe to play, always full of flowers in the summer and someone even swept the leaves in autum etc... now i just see big open spaces.... and thats it, what a shame.... i feel we have non or very few parks to be proud of as in wide open public parks... entente florale... more like wide open spaces....

Originally posted by madowl
i live near 4 large parks and theres only 1 of those id let my dogs s@@t it in never mind let the kids play...

what can you say to that.

Originally posted by madowl
live near 4 large parks and theres only 1 of those id let my dogs s@@t it in never mind let the kids play

Maybe if people didn't let their dogs "s@@t it in" the parks near you, they might be nicer and more suitable for the local children? Just a thought...

Originally posted by t020
Maybe if people didn't let their dogs "s@@t it in" the parks near you, they might be nicer and more suitable for the local children? Just a thought... Maybe so.... as the owner of 4 pampered pooches who does clean up after his pampered pooches all i would ask is ...who cleans up after the kids who are Supposed to play in the "fields..." i mean parks?

Have Sheffield actually won the competition?
Because the statement that has been circulated to Council staff states that Sheffield has won A gold medal in Entente Florale, not won THE gold medal. :suspect:

Maybe all entrants got A gold medal just for taking part. :hihi:

"Sheffield wins European Gold
Sheffield has beaten off tough competition from cities in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Slovenia to win Gold in the prestigious Entente Florale (Europe in Bloom) Competition. The results were announced at the Oscar style awards ceremony in Hungary on Friday 9th September.

Sheffield was also awarded the Special Award for the most meaningful contribution to the quality of life for disabled people in the city. This was especially awarded for the work of the Green fingers group in Crown Hill."

taken from www.sheffield.gov.uk

I have only just realised that Sheffield won the award..and that was reading this thread in the Forum.
Was it mentioned on Look Leeds (aka Look North)?
I remember they did a short piece commenting that the judges were coming round. But nothing after that.
Did Leeds even enter?
Regarding the state of Sheffield's parks..I think they are looking really good.
I did the Sheffield Round Walk last week and everywhere looked wonderful.
Even in Endcliffe Park where there has been a lot of underground pipe work this year, the council team have ensured that the ground has been rerolled and the grass has been resown.
Well done Sheffield! :clap:

Originally posted by tamarindl
"Sheffield wins European Gold
Sheffield has beaten off tough competition from cities in Germany, France, the Netherlands and Slovenia to win Gold in the prestigious Entente Florale (Europe in Bloom) Competition. The results were announced at the Oscar style awards ceremony in Hungary on Friday 9th September.

Sheffield was also awarded the Special Award for the most meaningful contribution to the quality of life for disabled people in the city. This was especially awarded for the work of the Green fingers group in Crown Hill."

taken from www.sheffield.gov.uk

Excellent. :clap: :clap:

Most unlike the Council to understate itself in the claptrap it sends to its employees. :hihi:

Originally posted by Floe
I have only just realised that Sheffield won the award..and that was reading this thread in the Forum.
Was it mentioned on Look Leeds (aka Look North)?
I remember they did a short piece commenting that the judges were coming round. But nothing after that.


I didn't see any coverage of us having won the award on any news programme. The story was covered on Look North when the judges were looking round (with a kind of "you don't stand a chance" undertone to the report), so probably sour grapes at somewhere other than Leeds having achieved something.

Originally posted by t020
so probably sour grapes at somewhere other than Leeds having achieved something.

aint that the truth!

Originally posted by t020
I didn't see any coverage of us having won the award on any news programme. The story was covered on Look North when the judges were looking round (with a kind of "you don't stand a chance" undertone to the report), so probably sour grapes at somewhere other than Leeds having achieved something.

I saw that.....Harry Gration looked like he had dogsh*t on his top lip when he had to mention the dreaded 'S' word. :D

Originally posted by t020
I didn't see any coverage of us having won the award on any news programme.

All the GMTV weather bulletins on one morning came live from the Peace Gardens with repeated news of the Gold Medal win.

Originally posted by cgksheff
All the GMTV weather bulletins on one morning came live from the Peace Gardens with repeated news of the Gold Medal win.

Well, I don't watch GMTV so wouldn't have seen that unfortunately. However the main anti-Sheffield thrust is from Look North, which I watch most days and didn't hear anything about Sheffield winning.

t020,

I think that your relevant words are:

I didn't see any coverage ....

and

Well, I don't watch ...

It was reported on ITV and BBC. You missed it. That's all!:D

Originally posted by cgksheff
t020,

I think that your relevant words are:



and



It was reported on ITV and BBC. You missed it. That's all!:D

But my other words included "I watch Look North most days". Are you saying Look North (not on ITV) DID show a report about Sheffield winning the competition? If so, when?

Originally posted by the_rudeboy
I saw that.....Harry Gration looked like he had dogsh*t on his top lip when he had to mention the dreaded 'S' word. :D

He was in Sheffield this afternoon talking to that cricket chappie, but you could tell Gration desperately didn't want to be seen in Sheffield. He didn't talk directly to the camera once and usually he hogs it.

Didn't see/hear a single mention of Sheffield's floral success during the week following on BBC.

Originally posted by t020
I didn't see any coverage of us having won the award on any news programme. The story was covered on Look North when the judges were looking round (with a kind of "you don't stand a chance" undertone to the report), so probably sour grapes at somewhere other than Leeds having achieved something.

I heard the news on the 12th on Radio 4, on a couple of bulletins at least.

I totally missed the "Sheffield" cheapest place for drugs. Did they also mention the high quality?

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
I heard the news on the 12th on Radio 4, on a couple of bulletins at least.

I totally missed the "Sheffield" cheapest place for drugs. Did they also mention the high quality?

Irrelevant - still not one person has stated that they saw any Look North coverage.

Originally posted by t020
Irrelevant - still not one person has stated that they saw any Look North coverage.

Well for all your newshound credentials you still missed the announcement on multiple media channels.

Maybe stop watching "Look North" if you want news about Sheffield?

Originally posted by Phanerothyme
Well for all your newshound credentials you still missed the announcement on multiple media channels.

Maybe stop watching "Look North" if you want news about Sheffield?

I realise you enjoy "having a go" at me wherever possible, but all I'm trying to say is that Look North seems to have something against Sheffield. Personally, I don't watch much local news anyway.

Originally posted by t020
Irrelevant - still not one person has stated that they saw any Look North coverage.

Dear ********

On 12 September LN reported that Sheffield won gold for the most colourful, green-fingered city in Europe - the pictures shown were from an earlier piece re Sheffield competing in the Entente Florale, on 19 July.

Thank you for your enquiry
BBC Look North


Satisfied?

Originally posted by cgksheff
Dear ********

On 12 September LN reported that Sheffield won gold for the most colourful, green-fingered city in Europe - the pictures shown were from an earlier piece re Sheffield competing in the Entente Florale, on 19 July.

Thank you for your enquiry
BBC Look North


Satisfied?

No.

Interestingly (or maybe not....) it was only reported in The Guardian today. Small paragraph but there nevertheless

http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,1575274,00.html

Anyone who missed them, I managed to snap them last Saturday morning..

http://www.lucas-digital.com/design/photography/saturdayearly/earlysaturday992.jpg

http://www.lucas-digital.com/design/photography/saturdayearly/earlysaturday994.jpg

Excellent well done one and all,not just the council but all the people of Sheffield who made this happen. I hope that Ms Wilson and the town hall mob make this an annual event. No just for judges, but for us all who live here. Well done Sheffield