A WOKINGHAM care home worker has been awarded for her passion and dedication to gardening.
Elspeth Wilkinson, from Alexandra Grange Care Home, won the Best Gardening Champion trophy in this year’s Hallmark in Bloom competition.
Elspeth, who runs a gardening club at the home, says she was “over the moon” when she heard the news.
“When I found out I had won … it felt really good to be recognised within the whole of Hallmark Care Homes,” she says.
Through her gardening club, the care home assistant encourages residents to get involved outdoors by planting seeds for the spring and summer. She has also repainted the wooden raised beds and created a sensory garden for residents living with dementia.
“I love that you can see a whole process through [when gardening], from planting a small seed and tending to it, and then picking the vegetables or fruit,” Elspeth explains.
“As someone who grew up on a farm, I love the fresh air and being outside.”
Competition judges unanimously agreed that Elspeth’s passion for gardening had improved the outdoor spaces at Alexandra Grange.
They said: “Elspeth has put an incredible amount of work into the gardens over the last couple of years, and uses skills and knowledge that she already had to sharethis with residents and team at the home.
“Her passion is infectious.”
Hallmark in Bloom is an annual competition run by Hallmark Care Homes across its centres.
This year’s contest was held virtually as a result of the pandemic.
