Envrionment award for Barnard Castle's Veg Out scheme

A GROUP of guerrilla gardeners from Barnard Castle has scooped a prestigious environmental award for the second year on the trot.
Veg Out in Barney, which was formed to plant fruit, herb and vegetable gardens around the town for people to help themselves, earned Rotary North East’s environment award for The People’s Garden they have created at The Hub, Shaw Bank.
The award was made by Rotary’s outgoing district governor Terry Long. Dr Ann Barmby, of Barnard Castle Rotary, said: “The governor was so pleased with this project he even brought the international president of Rotary down to look at the site.”
The People’s Garden has been designed to be dementia-friendly and serve as a form of therapy for those afflicted with the condition.
Barnard Castle Rotary Club is the only club in the North East that has won the award for two consecutive years. Previous winners have included Rotary clubs from Hexham, Durham, Chester-le-Street and Derwentside.
Dr Barmby said: “I was quite surprised because I didn’t think they would give it to the same project twice. I think he was particularly taken by the dementia side of it. Rotary financed the project initially for some beds around the town, then it grew.”
Teesdale Action Partnership provided cash for the latest additions to the garden.