CDCED 2024 COMMUNITY GARDENS & BEAUTIFICATION FESTIVAL AWARD CEREMONY by Carol-Faye Bynoe-George

CDCED 2024 COMMUNITY GARDENS & BEAUTIFICATION FESTIVAL AWARD CEREMONY by Carol-Faye Bynoe-George

An enchanting evening in one of the best ambiences a venue could give, scrumptious dining, melodious music/entertainment and a great audience are some of the descriptions for the evening of Thursday 12th December 2024.  What better way to bring closure and the perfect end to the 2024 Community Gardens and Beautification Festival? Despite some hurdles this year’s festival under the leadership and guidance of Miss Dale O’Brien/CDCED Director and Miss Tanya Williams/Co-ordinator was indeed a resounding success.

The Community Development and Citizens Engagement Division (CDCED) within the Ministry of Health, Social Transformation and the Department of Environment held its 2024 Award Ceremony at the Casa Palmadita located in Fitches Creek.  The 2024 theme “Think Beautification for the Nation’s Health and Wealth” was a very appropriate, especially since our focus is on “Food Sovereignty and Security”.

This year’s competition officially launched in January has been in existence for many years however, the 2024 festival was the largest in recent times attracting approximately one hundred participants in several categories ranging from Residential, Business to Community. The Community category was newly added and was implemented to serve several reasons that would holistically demonstrate civic pride, teamwork and vision these spaces would be good examples to others to follow in taking better care of the environment and some if its biodiversity.

The variety of gardens that were judged twice during the year were Flowers, Fruits and Vegetables, Water, Stones, Herbs and Spices in five zones to include Barbuda.

Results of the Community Gardens & Beautification Festival 2024 Awardees

EAST ZONE – Residential

Flower Garden

Name Community Position
Rhyves Knowles Luna Park 1st
St.Claire Green Seatons 2nd
Myra Josiah Seatons 3rd

 

Fruit & Vegetable Garden

Name Community Position
Rhyves Knowles Luna Park 1st
Valerie Whyte Willikies 2nd
Ireney Edawards Paynter’s Court 3rd

 

Herbs and Spice Garden

Name Community Position
Ireney Edwards Paynter’s Court 1st
Rosita Edawards Freetown 2nd
Kandia Williams Paynter’s Crest 3rd

Stone/Ornamental Garden

Name Community Position
Ireney Edwards Paynter’s Court 1st
Marilyn Marsh Pares 2nd

 

Business/Institution

Flower Garden

Name Community Position
St. Philips Anglican St. Philips 1st

 

Best Kept Community

Name Community Position
Fitches Creek Residents Association Fitches Creek 1st
Freetown Community Freetown 2nd

 

NORTH ZONE – Residential 

Flower Garden

Name Community Position
Birchfield Osborne Mc Kinnons 1st
Edith Berridge   2nd
Bernardo Rubio Potters 3rd

 

Fruit & Vegetable Garden

Name Community Position
Birchfield Osborne Mc Kinnons 1st
Bernardo Rubio Potters 2nd
Henry Harris Skerrits Pasture 3rd

 

Herbs & Spice Garden

Name Community Position
Bernardo Rubio Potters 1st
Birchfield Osborne Mc Kinnons 2nd
Henry Harris Skerrits Pasture 3rd

Water Garden

Name Community Position
Bernardo Rubio Potters 1st
Rhonda Samuel Langsford 2nd
Dwayne Reifer Potters New extension 3rd

 

Flower Garden

Name Community Position
Blue Waters Blue Waters 1st
Ewen Vigo Yorks 2nd

 

Best Kept Community

Name Community Position
Mount Pleasant Mount Pleasant 1st

 

 

WEST ZONEResidential

Flower Garden

Name Community Position
Joy Meade Five Island 1st
Lois Lewis Clarks Hill 2nd
Emelda Lewis Herberts 3rd

 

Fruit & Vegetable Garden

Name Community Position
Joy Meade Five Island 1st
Lois Lewis Clarks Hill 2nd
Andrea Martin Bendals/Green Castle 3rd

 

Herbs & Spice Garden

Name Community Position
Jennifer Joseph Bendals 1st
Gwendolyn King Bendals 2nd
Ruth Dyer Buckleys 3rd

 

Stone/Ornamental Garden

Name Community Position
Valerie Joseph Buckleys 1st
Joy Meade Five Islands 2nd
Aaron Hazelwood Buckleys 3rd

 

Water Garden

Name Community Position
Joy Meade Five Islands 1st

 

Business/Institution- Flower Garden

Name Community Position
Indies Greens Seaview Farm 1st
Green Appl Café Five Islands 2nd
Dogs & Cats Antigua Lightfoot 3rd

 

Business/Institution-Fruit & Vegetable Garden

Name Community Position
Green Bay Primary School Green Bay 1st

                                                              

Business/Institution- Water Garden

Name Community Position
Indies Greens Seaview farm 1st

 

 

SOUTH ZONE – Residential

Flower Garden

Name Community Position
Yvonne Matthew Piccadilly 1st
Carol Lewis Jonas Road 2nd
Margaret Browne Old Road 3rd

 

 

Fruit and Vegetable Garden

Name Community Position
Yvonne Matthew Piccadilly 1st
Margaret Browne Old Road 2nd
Melicah Severin   3rd

 

SOUTH ZONE – Residential

Herbs & Spice Garden

Name Community Position
Melicah Severin Jonas Road 1st
Yvonne Matthew Horsford Hill 2nd
Curtis Thomas Follies Development 3rd

 

Stone/Ornamental Garden

Name Community Position
Carol Lewis Jonas Road 1st

 

Business/Institution- Flower Garden

Name Community Position
11 Hour Sunshine Day Care & Pre School English Harbor 1st
Old Road Primary Old Road 2nd

                                                                

Business/Institution- Fruit & Vegetable Garden

Name Community Position
11 Hour Sunshine Day Care & Pre School English Harbor 1st
Old Road Primary Old Road 2nd

 

BARBUDA – Residential

Flower Garden

Name Community Position
Anthony Mapp Barbuda 1st
Alaida Deazle Barbuda 2nd
Cynthia Beazer Barbuda 3rd

 

Fruit & Vegetable Garden

Name Community Position
Jacklyn Beazer Desouza Barbuda 1st
Anthony Mapp Barbuda 2nd
Cynthia Beazer Barbuda 3rd

 

Overall Winners

Overall Winner Residential/Home      –Mrs. Joy Meade

Overall Winner Business/Institution   – Indies Greens

Overall Winner Best Kept Community- Fitches Creek Residents Association

The Ministry of Agriculture through the years has been supporting this initiative and extends congratulations to the winners and encourage sponsors, supporters and others to participate in the upcoming Community Gardens and Beautification Festival.