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 ZONE – Residential
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.